8:03am Friday 16th November 2007
By Jo Winrow
Eight men and women are set to make a big impact in the next few days as a new campaign is launched.
From Monday billboard and poster sites in the district will be awash with giant images of these Bradfordians doing what they love.
The posters proclaim "I am Bradford District" and are the start of a new publicity campaign by Bradford Council to challenge stereotypes and highlight the breadth of people living here.
Residents, workers and visitors alike will be able to view 32 billboards and 44 posters at sites across the district for two weeks in the first of two such campaigns. The second will run in March and will have a stronger focus on togetherness.
Those featuring in the campaign are from a variety of backgrounds and age groups. It is hoped the images will challenge assumptions about people's lifestyles or beliefs - as well as show how people and places have intertwined.
Council Leader Kris Hopkins said: "This campaign is the first roll-out of two celebrating the diversity in the district.
"It shows a whole variety of individuals who are proud to be a part of the district. Some of them are photographed at work, others are taking part in leisure activities.
"I think the images show the energy and variety we have across the district and demonstrate that people won't be pigeonholed or stereotyped.
"The Bradford district is fascinating and beautiful but it is the people who are the heart and soul of the place. What these images show is the modern face of the Bradford district, a changing district.
"These are not professional models - these are real people who are a part of the Bradford district. I think it's a really lively campaign that should catch your eye whether you're on your way to work, going to the shops or simply walking down the street."
Bradford City fan Khalil Hussain is one of the eight. He is an inclusion officer at Springwood Community Primary.
He said: "I'm also involved in the Kick It Out campaign, which uses football to bring children together from diverse backgrounds, and have been so for the past eight years. We invite schools from across the district and bring them together to get them playing football. But rather than them representing their school, for example, we mix them up.
"It doesn't matter what colour your skin is, it's more about what colour shirt you are playing in."
Dyfrig Lewis-Smith is a senior solicitor with the Council and is pictured in a courtroom setting. He is visually impaired but says this has not stopped him enjoying a successful career in law.
"Bradford's an interesting place - the multilingual nature of the place reminds me of growing up in Wales," he said. "The hardest part of my job is getting from one place to another. Once I'm in a building or at a meeting there's very little stopping me from participating - but getting there is always a bit of an adventure, which is why Bradford city is such an excellent place to work. Close to the trains, the buses and the taxis, and easy to commute to, City Hall is pretty perfect for me."
On Tuesday, November 27, Bradford is hosting a national conference on cohesion in partnership with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and IDeA, a local government think tank. The conference aims to share good practice and shape the Government's response to the Our Shared Future report by the Commission on Integration and Cohesion.
e-mail: jo.winrow@bradford.newsquest.co.uk
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