The initiative is to run for one month and promote community literacies – with an equal focus on speaking and reading to recognise the important tradition of oral storytelling in Bradford.
It will promote the power of stories in up to 11 languages and dialects through virtual story sessions, poetry recitals, a calligraphy masterclass and a range of fun family activities, on the Bradford Stories Facebook page from February 21 – which is Mother Tongue Day.
Across the month, parents and children aged over 4 will be given free access to a diverse range of voices. Volunteer storytellers in the local neighbourhoods will be capturing imaginations and inspiring families to play a part in preserving their mother tongue.
There will be a range of free videos, including:
- Ibong Adarna in Filippino
- Hindi and Gujarati poetry
- An interpretive reading of the Lord Ganesh story
- Pashto storytelling
- Reading of Banana by Ed Vere in a handful of dialects
A World of Bradford Stories is packed with weekly activities and resources that will help children, young people and their parents build new skills and improve their literacy.
It will also feature fantastic readings and support from local partners 50 Things Bradford, Better Start Bradford, Bradford Libraries, City of Bradford Council, Bradford 2025 and local schools.
The launch comes after a third of UK children admitted they do not see themselves in the books they read, according to a National Literacy Trust survey of 6,000 children and young people.
It found that one in three (33%) of children did not see themselves in stories, with the proportion increasing to nearly 2 in 5 of children from ethnic minority backgrounds, and nearly half (46%) of children from black ethnic backgrounds. Nearly 2 in 5 also said that they would like to see more books with characters who are similar to them.
A World of Bradford Stories is a great response to these findings. It aims to gives families the tools and stories to feel proud of their heritage and explore literary traditions from within their communities.
The programme celebrates and supports multilingualism – to empower parents conserve their dialect and children to feel they can relate to stories and characters. It is especially designed to represent the native speakers and families in the city by offering tips on writing poetry, chatting in your mother tongue and listening to your elders.
This is particularly important as NLT studies show children who develop good use of their home language are more likely to develop good English. The cultural, linguistic and social benefits of bilingualism and home-learning last a life-time, according to Early Child Development and Care research.
Children who are good readers are happier with their lives. Those with above expected reading skills are three times more likely to have high mental wellbeing than their peers with below expected reading skills (40.3% vs 13.1%).
The National Literacy Trust research shows that reading for pleasure improves mental wellbeing, with more than half (59%) of children saying reading in lockdown this spring made them feel better and half (50%) saying it inspired them to dream about the future.
Imran Hafeez, Bradford Stories Manager, said: “Reading is not just about reading and writing, it’s also about the ability to express ourselves and be heard. Having strong literacy skills enables us to celebrate our identities, have a chance to tell our stories and listen to others. It helps us create empathy and form connections.
“Even though travel is restricted, Bradford Stories is welcoming you on board of a journey across the globe to celebrate literacy in different communities. There are 140 dialects in Bradford and I am making it my mission to understand those. All the diverse culture is wrapped into the fabric of this wonderful Northern city.”
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