BRADFORD has joined the rest of the nation today in taking a moment to reflect as part of national Thank You Day.

Bradford Council has unveiled waves of white roses in different forms, ranging from knitted waves in the city centre to painted pebbles in green spaces, to mark the occasion and say thank you to key workers and the public for doing their bit throughout the pandemic.

More than one thousand white roses have been handed out across the district by the Lord Mayor of Bradford Councillor Shabir Hussain, the Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin, the Leader of Bradford Council Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe and senior council officers.

Bradford Council leader Susan Hinchcliffe said: “Being part of this community in the last 16 months has been humbling, I have seen people stepping forward in their jobs to support colleagues and other departments, doing things they never expected to do.

"I have also seen members of the public making huge sacrifices that we never expected them to make, coming together to support each other has been important, and it’s made me very proud to be from Bradford.

"This is a great opportunity to say thank you to those people who have helped us through this very difficult time”

Knitted roses adorned the steps of City Hall as the Bradford Youth Service Choir performed a poignant song of thanks. 

The lyrics were:

When the world is standing on its head.

And it’s all too much to even leave your bed.

When you have their sight but you still feel blind.

You’re tired of the spotlights, You’re lost in your mind.

Where do I go to? Where do I turn?

When all around us cry and crash and burn

When I give back, when I resist.

You call me words that shouldn’t exist.

I’ve had to work harder than others to be seen.

But you don’t know how hard it’s been.

When things get tough, we won’t run scared.

Could we talk this out? We’re really needing to be heard.

I’d scream and shout but what would that change.

Cause no matter what, we always get the blame.

We’re stronger together.

Fear striking, but we’re rising up – still fighting.

We’re stronger together.

Open your eyes and realise.

We’re stronger together.

We weren’t born old, we had a childhood.

We know how it feels to be misunderstood.

We see your anger, we feel your sadness.

Let’s help each other through the madness.

When you stand alone, the world feels cold.

We should stand side by side, the young and the old.

Take our understanding, use it in the fight.

To build a better future, turn dark into light.

Right now we need positivity.

In every town and every city.

We’ve got a dream of a world washed new.

A brighter future for us to turn to.

Don’t let us fall, don’t let us turn.

From one another, cry and crash and burn.