BRADFORD'S City of Culture bid is being highlighted on lorries, restaurant windows and a colourful projection on a landmark building.

Three new corporate partners have each come up with creative ways to highlight the bid. Grade II listed Regency Hall, formerly St Marys Catholic Church, now a major events and conference space near Little Germany, joins as Bid Champion. Every evening from dusk the exterior wall of the historic building is being illuminated with a large-scale projection of the BD25 identity.

The space is owned by entrepreneur and broadcaster Raj Parmar, who also runs Sunrise Radio, now a bid media partner. The station has been broadcasting from Bradford for more than 30 years, launching as the world’s first independent Asian radio station on FM.. Said Raj: “We had a fantastic opportunity to use this beautiful building to create something visually striking to support the district’s bid. “I’m thrilled that Sunrise Radio is a media partner. We have a huge audience in the Asian community in Bradford and beyond, and it’s so important that everyone with a connection to the city knows about the bid and the impact it could have. A major strength of our bid is the diversity of our population and we will do whatever we can to make sure the district’s voices are heard. We can play a key role in letting our listeners how they can help shape the bid.”

Bradford-based restaurant group, Jinnah, which joins as a founding partner, has branded the roof of its events marquee in the grounds of its Leeds Road restaurant; added colourful vinyls to restaurant windows and installed a Bradford 2025 banner on the roadside. The family-run business began as a corner shop in Bradford in 1981 and has eateries across Yorkshire.

Managing director Saleem Akhtar said: “Our Bradford restaurant has a prominent position on one of the busiest roads into the city, so it made sense to use the Bradford 2025 identity to capture the attention of the hundreds of drivers that pass by every day, as well as our many customers. We’re committed to raising awareness of the bid, and we’re exploring other ways to get the message out there, including branding takeaway bags. Food is a huge part of culture in Bradford so we're excited to come on board as a partner."

New bid partner Expect Distributions, a family-run logistics and warehouse company, has branded a number of its fleet with the BD25 logo. The trucks will travel the country flying the flag for Bradford’s bid. Managing director Neil Rushworth said: “We’re thrilled to be taking the Bradford bid on the road. Our team are excited about what winning the title could mean.”

* Businesses and organisations of any size and any location can get involved and help to support Bradford 2025 in a variety of ways including sponsorship and partnership packages. To find out more email mick.chandsoor@bradford2025.co.uk