A pilot project inspiring residents in Bradford city centre to make a difference in their communities started this week.

Neighbourhood Ventures, which was awarded more than £5,000 from the Big Lottery Fund’s Awards for All for the initiative, will work with people in Broomfields, Goitside, Listerhills, Little Germany, Longlands, Wapping and White Abbey during a 12-month project, which will see them research the history of their areas, get involved in regeneration projects and look at ways of bringing their community together.

Jonathan Crewdson, chairman of Neighbourhood Ventures, said: “There is potential to encourage people who live in the centre to take more of an interest in it and engage in projects that could contribute in some way towards regeneration.”

The scheme will include three phases – a history project to create a small publication, setting up a website and ten training sessions offering residents information about how they can set up schemes in the community.

The launch of the Little Germany project was held at Bradford Resource Centre on Tuesday, where people who live and work in the area discussed their ideas for its future.

The next event to discuss the Goitside Regeneration Project will be held at the Jury’s Inn Hotel on Thornton Road between 10am and 1pm today and a meeting to discuss the Broomfields initiative will be held from 10am at The Mill Lane Pub on Mill Lane on Thursday.

The Listerhills event will be held at Culture Fusion on Thornton Road from 10am on Tuesday, and the future of Wapping will be discussed at Forster Community College on Wednesday.

The Bradford Regeneration Project launch will be at City House on Cheapside at the same time on Wednesday, December 13.

For details or to book a place, call 07881 785636 or e-mail mail@neighbour hoodventures.org.uk.