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Take a look at the round up of sustainability stories and information from all sectors across Bradford District, featuring inspirational community initiatives, grant and funding opportunities, local events, and Council updates on air quality, nature, renewable energy, transport, and waste management projects.
Environmental threats and climate solutions
Come along and view the 50-minute film produced by the National Emergency Briefing project to raise awareness of climate and nature breakdown and its implications for health, food systems, national security, and the economy.
Communities and workplaces across the UK are screening the People’s Emergency Briefing. Climate Action Ilkley and Bradford City of Climate Culture have arranged the following screening dates across the district, and a promotional event at Darley Street Market in August will show the one-minute film trailer in the courtyard, with volunteers answering questions from interested passersby.
The screenings are scheduled as follows:
- Bradford, Darley Street Market 21 August
- Keighley, Civic Centre 29 August
- Bingley, All Saints Church 1 September
- Cottingley, St Michaels & All Angels 10 September
- Clayton, Methodist Church 20 September
- Heaton, St Barnabas Church 25 September
- Bradford, City Hall 30 September
- Haworth, Parish Church 03 October
- Undercliffe, Community Works 23 October
- BCB Radio / Bradford Arts Centre TBC
Screening of the stop‑motion animation Savages
National Allotments Week 10 to 16 August
Started in 2002, National Allotments Week is an annual initiative that aims to raise awareness of allotments and their role in helping people live healthier lifestyles, grow their food, develop friendships, and bolster communities.
The annual awareness week will run from 10 to 16 August 2026, with the theme “Grow to Learn.”
Plug In Bradford District event
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Whether you're considering an electric vehicle for personal use or as part of your organisation's fleet, Plug In Bradford District is a free event designed to help residents and businesses learn more about electric and sustainable transport options.
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Taking place in Centenary Square, Bradford, on Friday 18 September from 9.45am to 4pm, the FREE event will showcase a wide range of electric vehicles, alongside LNER Bradford Beryl electric bikes, EV charging demonstrations, and opportunities to speak directly with industry experts and local dealers.
Bradford Council supports The Leap’s Creative Climate Action Awards
 Creative Climate Action Awards supports individuals and organisations who believe creativity, arts and culture can raise climate awareness, encourage sustainable lifestyles, and inspire positive action for the planet.
Funded by the National Lottery Community Fund (Climate Action Fund) and Bradford Council, the Awards provide funding and support to help bring creative ideas to life.
The Awards prioritise communities historically under-represented in climate leadership to become the designers, owners and drivers of local climate solutions.
Seventeen community-led climate projects across Bradford and Keighley have been awarded funding through The Leap's Creative Climate Action Awards, helping local people turn their creative ideas into practical environmental action.
The Awards provide support of up to £1,500 to residents, artists, schools and community organisations in delivering projects that address climate change while strengthening local communities. The programme focuses on empowering people whose voices have traditionally been underrepresented in climate conversations.
Successful initiatives include musical instrument recycling led by Bren Travis in Shipley, alongside Zahabia Naveed leading a youth horticulture course in Undercliffe and EcclesHill. In Bowling Park, Leanne Ashworth is leading on a community climate action with creative events like the "Compost Puppet Theatre." With many other practical activities that will encourage sustainable living while bringing communities together.
Food waste collections, coming to your street this autumn
 From the end of this month, households across the District will start receiving a new kitchen caddy and outdoor food waste bin to help make recycling food waste easier than ever.
Food waste collections are being introduced by councils across the country as part of new Government legislation.
Climate Fresk and Biodiversity workshop feedback
During June and July, a group of Council staff took part in Climate Fresk (an interactive educational game about climate change) and Biodiversity Collage workshops at Bradford Arts Centre, kindly hosted by University of York and Bradford’s Health Determinants Research Collaboration, and expertly delivered by Sophia Cheng from With Many Roots.
Founded in France and now held around the world in over 45 languages, the workshops are engaging and interactive, exploring how human activities affect the environment, climate, and biodiversity, and why protecting nature is essential. The sessions sparked valuable cross-department discussions and generated ideas for collaboration and action across the Council. Feedback from participants highlighted the value of networking, sharing perspectives and emotions, with interest in extending similar sessions to wider audiences.
Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, with one attendee saying:
"I found the workshops incredibly useful, thought-provoking, and empowering. Spending time with like-minded people, while also learning from colleagues whose work and commitment are genuinely inspiring, was a real ray of sunshine and a reminder that we are all part of something much bigger than ourselves.
"On a personal level, the workshops came at a particularly meaningful time for me, as I prepare to bring a daughter into the world. Her arrival has prompted me to reflect even more deeply on these issues, the future we are helping to shape, and the role each of us can play in creating positive change.
"Sophia was truly inspirational and made both sessions so inclusive and engaging. I genuinely believe every school and organisation would benefit from experiencing a Climate Fresk session."
Young Bradford Artist on LNER Train
Khyreece, aged 13, from Oastlers School, impressed the judges with a bold and colourful design inspired by Bradford Live. Reopened in 2025, the iconic venue has quickly become a landmark addition to the city's cultural landscape. The winning artwork has now been transformed into a bespoke moquette – the distinctive patterned fabric traditionally used on train seats.
Twenty-six seats on an LNER InterCity 225 set have been reupholstered using the winning design. The train travelled to Bradford Forster Square station, giving Khyreece the opportunity to see his artwork installed onboard for the very first time.
The competition, delivered in partnership by Bradford 2025, Community Rail Lancashire, LNER, Camira and Diamond Rail Services, encouraged children and young people aged 16 and under from across the Bradford district to celebrate local pride, creativity and Bradford's cultural heritage through a unique train seat design.
Capital of Cycling round up
Would you like to get stuck in repairing bikes, supporting rides or helping at Capital of Cycling events?
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There are volunteer mechanic opportunities at Keighley Active Travel Services on Tuesday afternoons, working alongside our mechanics to repair donated bikes.
If you like getting out and about, they are are looking for riders to support their community activities and help out at events. Training is provided and a chance to help people get on their bikes!
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There is a new Q&A section on the Capital of Cycling website, part of a growing collection of simple, practical guides designed to help you ride more, spend less and feel confident on a bike.
Whether you're just getting started, returning to cycling or looking for ways to make riding part of everyday life, you'll find clear, no-jargon advice.
Active Travel Business Grant
 Image from WYCA Active Travel Business Grant guidance
To help encourage employees to travel more actively, WYCA have an active travel grant for eligible businesses.
Grants of up to £20 000 per business are available, with businesses expected to make a 20% contribution to the project cost. Funding can be used for cycle parking, showers, changing facilities and lockers, CCTV and outdoor lighting (where linked to active travel), bike maintenance stations, pool bike fleet, and active travel events.
A business must be based within Bradford District and operate from commercial premises. Businesses must be committed to embedding active travel behaviour within their organisation and be prepared to evidence this in their application.
The grant is expected to be available until Dec 2026.
For more information please contact nicola.whatmuff@bradford.gov.uk
Grant making charity supporting community projects
The Craven Trust supports grassroots projects, charities and voluntary organisations with funding for equipment, capital purchases, training for volunteers and building improvements across the Craven area, covering parts of North and West Yorkshire, Cumbria and Lancashire.
The trust raises donations from local companies and individuals to build an endowment fund, with the interest paid out as grants, keeping local money working for local needs long into the future. Grants range from £100 to £1,500. |
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Upcoming deadlines are 14 September and 16 December.
National Lottery Awards for All England: Environment
Funding of £300 to £20,000 is available to community organisations, charities, not-for-profits, and constituted groups or clubs for community led projects that tackle the climate and nature emergency, improve the environment, and help people connect with and enjoy nature locally.
Eligible projects should meet one of the following priorities:
- help people connect with and care for nature in their area
- make a positive difference to the environment
Funding can be used to:
- start a new activity or continue an existing one
- help your organisation adapt to new challenges
- run one-off events that have a clear environmental benefit
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Small grants for community projects
The Better Community Business Network Grant Initiative provides one-off grants of up to £3,000 per year for projects improving the quality of life for individuals and communities, including environmental projects.
Community groups, voluntary organisations and local charities are eligible.
Deadline: 7 September 2026
Aviva Communities Fund
Match funding of up to £25,000 is available to charities, CIOs, CICs and CLGs.
Organisations and projects are supported that focus on either:
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Financial wellbeing - helping people feel more secure and in control of their money. This could include budgeting support, debt advice, financial education, or money management.
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Climate action - helping communities prevent, prepare for, and adapt to the impacts of a changing climate. This might involve restoring nature, improving access to green spaces, or providing education and skills for a sustainable future.
Applications will be received until all funding is allocated.
Capital Grants Available for Community Spaces
Community organisations across the district are encouraged to apply for a share of £750,000 in capital funding, to improve the community buildings and spaces that bring people together and strengthen neighbourhoods.
Bradford Council is inviting eligible Bradford-based organisations to submit an expression of interest for the grants, which are available through the Government's Pride in Place Impact Fund.
Funding can be used for a range of capital improvements, including:
- Refurbishing community buildings, including accessibility improvements.
- Repurposing underused buildings for community use.
- Creating new community facilities.
- Environmental improvements such as planting, biodiversity and sustainable design.
- Permanently installed equipment within public or community assets.
Supporting communities to cut bills
Great Horton Park Chapel Cricket Club has been helping local residents reduce energy waste and lower their household bills through the innovative Thermal Detectives project. By lending out thermal imaging cameras, the club enabled members and neighbours to identify where heat was escaping from their homes and learn how to fix it.
Prior to the Thermal Detectives being launched the cricket club had already carried out energy upgrades to their clubhouse with support from Business in the Community, they switched to LEDs, fitted UPVC double glazing, insulated the loft, installed solar panels and a battery and added Hive smart heating controls.
Participants received practical advice on simple, low-cost improvements such as draught-proofing windows and doors, topping up loft insulation, insulating pipes, and switching to LED lighting. Almost everyone who took part went on to make at least one energy-saving change, while many reported feeling more confident about tackling heat loss in their homes
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The project showed how trusted community organisations can play a key role in helping people take action on energy efficiency, leading to warmer homes, lower bills and reduced carbon emissions.
The learnings have now been developed into a six-step blueprint for businesses and community groups looking to support warmer homes and lower bills.
Click below for more information about Thermal Detectives and the six-step approach.
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River restoration project to reduce flood risk in Shipley
 Footpath repairs at Northcliffe Dike, including drainage grips to divert surface runoff and reduce erosion adjacent to the golf course. Credit: Aire Rivers Trust
Work is now complete on phase 1 of a river restoration project at Northcliffe Dike in Shipley that will improve water quality, increase biodiversity and help reduce the risk of flooding in the area.
It is just one of the sites where work has been carried out under the ‘Better Becks’ partnership project led by the Aire Rivers Trust (ART), with funding from the Environment Agency and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
The ‘Better Becks’ project aims to help nature to thrive in the middle Aire catchment by restoring wetlands, reducing the amount of silt and other pollutants entering the river, tackling invasive species and enhancing habitat for fish.
Northcliffe Dike runs into Bradford Beck, a highly responsive and flashy watercourse, reacting quickly to rainfall and rising rapidly, causing a risk of flooding to residential communities downstream.
Great UK Water Blitz
The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust is looking for volunteers to carry out water quality testing along the River Aire and the River Derwent in September as part of the Great UK Water Blitz.
You can sign up as a community group or individual to receive a free water testing and contribute valuable data to understand the health of our freshwater across Yorkshire.
Do you have more apples than you know what to do with?
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Last year the Fruit Works Co-operative established six sets of juicing kit around the district that be cheaply hired from community centres in Keighley, Shipley, Wibsey and Bradford.
There are 4 ways the equipment can be used, depending on your needs. Below you’ll find guidance on the four different approaches, adapted from resources from other groups. Instructions and ideas for community events included.
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Fruitful Bradford Hubs are located here:
Woodville Community, Woodville Road, Keighley BD20 6JA
Wibsey Community Gardens, Wibsey BD6 3EQ
Foodsavers Storehouse, 116 Caledonia St, Bradford BD4 7BQ
Kirkgate Community Centre, Shipley BD18 3EH
Repair Café opens at Woodville Community in Keighley
Keighley-based Woodville Community successfully launched its first-ever Repair Café last month, bringing together Woodville tenants, including Keighley Lions, Code for Good CIC, Yorgreen CIC and Woodville Metalworks, whose volunteers used their skills to diagnose and repair faults. Local residents brought in a range of items for repair, including desktop computers, garden tools, and kitchen equipment. Rather than sending broken items to landfill and having to buy new, visitors were delighted to return home with their items fixed and restored.
A second Repair Café is planned for October 2026 and will expand the range of repair services, with a volunteer resident offering sewing repairs, alongside a bike mechanic from Capital of Cycling. The initiative has also received a significant boost through support from the Craven Trust which will fund the training of ten volunteer fixers as Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) testers.
Residents are encouraged to follow Woodville's social media channels for details of upcoming Repair Café dates.
Community Response Planning
If you are part of a community, faith or neighbourhood group looking for ways you and your community can be better prepared for emergencies, West Yorkshire Prepared is the Local Resilience Forum for West Yorkshire and can help you develop your own, bespoke Community Response Plan (CRP).
Whilst we can’t prevent emergencies happening, we can plan ahead to reduce the impact. Severe weather, health warnings and security risks are just some of the types of emergencies that can happen.
Communities can contact the resilience forum by email and request advice from the Community Resilience Officer.
Free trees for schools and communities🌳
Looking to create a greener outdoor space for children to enjoy?
The Woodland Trust is offering FREE native tree packs to schools and community groups.
The packs include native saplings such as oak, wild cherry and silver birch, helping to boost biodiversity, support outdoor learning and create lasting green spaces for future generations.
🌱 Limited numbers available
🌿Free to apply
🍂Suitable for schools and community groups
Join the Government’s Youth Climate & Nature Panel
The UK Government has announced a new Youth Climate and Nature Panel which will bring young people aged 16-25 from across the UK to help shape climate and nature policy. The first round is currently open for 16–18-year-olds, with 19–25-year-olds to follow.
You don’t need to be an expert - this is your opportunity to help shape government thinking on climate and nature, share your ideas, and make sure young people’s voices are heard.
Cullingworth Primary School Eco Summit
Cullingworth Village ECO Summit 2026 was a great success, bringing together pupils, residents, community groups, and environmental organisations to celebrate sustainability and inspire action for a greener future.
Led by the Cullingworth Village Primary School Eco Council before the summer break, the community-focused event welcomed a wide range of stallholders who showcased their environmental initiatives. Exhibitors included Aire Rivers Trust, Shipley Area Wardens, Lees Morsbags, Cullingworth Guides, Woodville Community tenants, The Riddlesden Green Connection and Cullingworth Village Council, alongside many other organisations committed to making a positive difference in the local area.
The event was honoured to welcome Shipley MP Anna Dixon, who joined pupils, staff, parents, and community partners in celebrating the village's growing commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship.
Members of the school's Eco Council played a central role in organising and delivering the event. Pupils helped set up the summit, supported stallholders throughout the day and welcomed visitors. The pupils also ran their own stall, selling plants and tree saplings while encouraging visitors to make an 'Eco Pledge' and commit to simple changes that can benefit the environment.
The summit provided a valuable opportunity for pupils to learn how small actions in everyday life can collectively make a significant impact, both locally and globally. It was an inspiring event that highlighted the power of community action in creating a more sustainable world.
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If you have any questions, or want to share your stories, events or updates, please email us at Sustainability@bradford.gov.uk
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