The British Asian Rugby Association (BARA) was pleased to attend the launch of the Bradford City of Culture 2025 Volunteering Legacy Programme, following an invitation from colleagues at the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Although the venue was changed at short notice due to adverse weather conditions, the event proved to be a highly successful and engaging evening. It brought together key stakeholders, partners, and volunteers who are playing a vital role in shaping Bradford’s City of Culture journey and its long-term volunteering legacy.
The evening provided valuable opportunities to listen to contributions from key stakeholders, network with partners, and engage directly with volunteers involved in delivering City of Culture activity across the district. Discussions throughout the event focused on inclusivity, community participation, and ensuring that learning and best practice from Bradford 2025 is captured and sustained beyond the year itself.
BARA was also pleased to speak with Kersten England CBE DL, Chair of Bradford 2025, who had kindly provided a strong and supportive letter of endorsement for BARA’s National Lottery Heritage Fund project, Beyond the Try Line – Celebrating Community Heritage in Rugby. Kersten’s support played an important role in strengthening the application and contributed to the project’s successful outcome.
As an organisation committed to celebrating heritage, representation, and community impact through sport, BARA values opportunities to engage with Bradford’s wider cultural and volunteering networks. Events such as this reinforce shared ambitions around inclusion, legacy, and ensuring that Bradford City of Culture 2025 delivers lasting benefit for communities across the district.
