MANNINGHAM Library will be hosting a 10-week creative writing course for South Asian people, sponsored by publishing company Fox&Windmill.

The aim of this creative writing class is to help people of the South Asian community tell their stories through different styles of writing such as poetry and descriptive writing.

Fox&Windmill is a publishing company based in Bradford, co-founded by Habiba Desai and Sara Razzaq in March 2021.

The two women spent a great deal of their childhood in Bradford libraries and described it as “their first sept into the world of books.”

The publishing company focuses on giving a platform to British South Asian writers across the field, with extra emphasis on the Young Adult, Science-Fiction and Adult Fiction genres.

Habiba Desai said: “When Bradford Libraries reached out to us, we were thrilled to sponsor the creative writing classes.

“It was our way of giving something back to the libraries that had given us so much.

“Creative writing classes in Bradford are not an everyday opportunity and most courses charge a large fee.

“We also knew that had we had the opportunity ourselves, growing up, we’d have jumped at the chance to join, which is why we are so excited to work with Bradford Libraries on making it happen.”

The course will be led by Nabeela Ahmed an English teacher and self-published author.

Nabeela said: “Growing up I was never allowed to think of writing as a profession.

“It was something that I could do, but I didn’t have the opportunity to think of it as a job.

“I started writing in 2018, it was through a group of Asian writers and when I saw this opportunity, I really wanted to help other South Asian people tell their stories.

“It’s about building confidence and nurturing these talents.”

The course will explore different forms of creative writing and help nurture the talents of all those involved.

Dionne Hood from Bradford Libraries said: “This is our chance to get diverse writers on our bookshelves.

“We want to keep our libraries stocked with relevant, representative books and currently there isn’t a lot of that.

“It’s sad that we don’t get the chance to hear these rich stories, that people in this community have to offer and that’s why we are so happy to be doing this.”

The course starts this Saturday at Manningham Library between 10-12pm.

All those involved will have the opportunity to be published in an anthology by Fox&Windmill Books.