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Bradford City Community Foundation invited 150 pupils from local schools to attend a Club Author Day, with renowned children's author Humza Arshad.
Arshad is the author of the 'Little Badman' series, and delivered workshops to all attendees which inspired them to get creative, write their own stories, and even learn to draw the series’ protagonist, Humza Khan. Pupils from Miriam Lord Community Primary School, Dixons Manningham Primary Academy, Lady Royd Primary, and Westbourne Primary School attended the day.
All attending children got the chance to spend time with the author, whilst also being involved in other educational activities delivered by Foundation staff throughout the day. This included a visit to the Bradford Stories Bus, which was parked next to the iconic University of Bradford Stadium, and is run by the National Literacy Trust.
The Foundation also ran sporting, physical activities at BEAP Community Partnership throughout the day, and stadium tours led by Foundation CEO and former City striker Ian Ormondroyd, as well as interactive workshops on the joys and importance of reading.
Imran Hafeez, Hub Manager at National Literacy Trust Bradford, said: “It was amazing to see the reactions on the children's faces when meeting Humza. We know that children often don’t see themselves reflected in the stories they see and diverse books and stories can help in unlocking the joy of reading for children. The Foundation’s work in supporting local communities to access and feel connected to their football team has been exemplary and I’m sure this experience will live with them for many years to come.”
At the end of the day, each child walked away with a signed copy of Humza's latest book, Little Badman and the Game of Nightmares. The books were donated as part of a drive to reduce book poverty, with recent statistics highlighting that 5000 children across Bradford do not own a single book.
The day was funded by the Premier League Charitable Fund to promote the Premier League Primary Stars programme and inspire children to develop a love of reading. In Bradford, the Foundation delivers this programme in schools, providing tailored physical activity and educational support. As part of the initiative, each pupil who attended the event received a book, funded by the Premier League Charitable Fund, with support from the National Literacy Trust.
Oliver Read, who oversees the programme at the Foundation, said: “This has been a fantastic day, and I’d like to thank all of our staff, the Premier League Charitable Fund, the National Literacy Trust, and Humza for making it possible. We hope that every child who came along today has left with a deeper love of reading and books, as we all do our bit to encourage young people in Bradford to find joy in reading.”
Find out more about the Premier League Primary Stars programme via the Foundation’s website here.
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