Young girl smiling across a table
Free

21 Jul - 21 Aug 2025

The Story Garden – Summer Reading Challenge

Come to a creative making session with the Our Patch team in your local library and be an artist as well as a reader.

Event Details
Date 21 Jul - 21 Aug 2025
Times 9am - 1pm
Location Local libraries
Ages Everyone is welcome

This Summer, the Our Patch team are bringing creative activities to libraries across Bradford to encourage and support families taking part in this year's Summer Reading Challenge, The Story Garden.

Find a free workshop near you and join in!

Part of Our Patch, our free community creativity programme.

 

Bradford South

Monday 21 July, 10am – 1pm
Holmewood Library

Tuesday 22 July, 10am – 11.40am & 12.20pm – 2pm
Wyke Library 

Join artist Emily Parkin for some nature based crafty activities. You will use dried flower stems to learn natural twining, and combine other art techniques using natural materials and found objects. Get creative and experiment!

All materials are included, and you can take home whatever you make. Suitable for kids (and adults) of all ages!

Bradford West

Tuesday 22 July, 10am – 11.40am & 12.20pm – 2pm
Manningham Library 

Thursday 24 July, 10am – 11.40am & 12.20pm – 2pm
City Library

Make something beautiful inspired by the natural world with artist Zareena Bano.
All materials are included, and you can take home whatever you make. Suitable for kids (and adults) of all ages!

 

Thursday 24 July, 10am – 11.40am & 12.20pm – 2pm
Clayton Library

Thursday 21 August, 10am – 11.40am & 12.20pm – 2pm
Heaton Library

Gentle guidance from artist Pam Crawford will help you to craft something special from things you can find in nature.

All materials are included, and you can take home whatever you make. Suitable for kids (and adults) of all ages!

Bradford East

Tuesday 5 August, 10am – 11.40am & 12.20pm – 2pm
Laisterdyke Library

Wednesday 6 August, 10am – 11.40am & 12.20pm – 2pm
Idle Library 

Gentle guidance from artist Pam Crawford will help you to craft something special from things you can find in nature. All materials are included, and you can take home whatever you make. Suitable for kids (and adults) of all ages!

 

Thursday 21 August, 10am – 11.40am & 12.20pm – 2pm
Eccleshill Library

Design your own miniature Story Garden – use natural materials to make a little garden for your favourite storybook character to play in. All materials are included, and you can take home whatever you make. Suitable for kids (and adults) of all ages!

Keighley and Ilkley

Tuesday 5 August, 10am – 11.40am & 12.20pm – 2pm
Keighley Library

Gelli Printing Workshop – Join artist Claire Rookes on a Creative Adventure in Nature! Gelli printing is a fun technique using a soft gel plate to create textured, layered prints. Press leaves and natural materials onto the plate with vibrant inks to make beautiful artwork—exploring the magical connection between books and the outdoors!
All materials are included, and you can take home whatever you make. Suitable for kids (and adults) of all ages!

Shipley

Wednesday 6 August, 10am – 11.40am & 12.20pm – 2pm
Bingley Library

Gelli Printing Workshop – Join artist Claire Rookes on a Creative Adventure in Nature! Gelli printing is a fun technique using a soft gel plate to create textured, layered prints. Press leaves and natural materials onto the plate with vibrant inks to make beautiful artwork—exploring the magical connection between books and the outdoors!
All materials are included, and you can take home whatever you make. Suitable for kids (and adults) of all ages!

Dates →

21 July Holmewood Library
22 July Wyke Library
22 July Manningham Library
24 July City Library
24 July Clayton Library
5 August Laisterdyke Library
5 August Keighley Library
6 August Bingley Library
6 August Idle Library
21 August Eccleshill Library
21 August Heaton Library

Our Patch

Find out more about Our Patch, our free community creativity programme for Bradford 2025.

Related Events

Two children infront of a bright close up image of the sun

YOU:MATTER

Marshmallow Laser Feast

Explore how we’re all connected at this spectacular immersive experience.

Cose shot of a crowd of peoples feet and legs walking on a dusty path

Bradford City Centre guided walking tour

Follow Bradford’s history, origins, and its transformation into the city it is today on this guided walking tour.

A piece of reindeer metatarsal engraved with a reindeer
FREE

Ice Age Art Now

British Museum

Travel back in time at this British Museum Partnership Exhibition.

FREE Part of Loading Bay

Tu i Tam/Tyt i Tam: traditional craft workshops

Use traditional Polish and Ukrainian techniques to create your own unique piece of art.

Man drawing on a table, table is filled with pencils, coffee
FREE Part of Our Patch

The DRAW! Tour: July Workshops

Hands-on drawing workshops across the district, part of Our Patch.

A colourful glass fronted building with The Beacon on the front surrounded by hundreds of people on a sunny day.
FREE Part of The Beacon

The Big Beacon Family Welcome

Join us at Cliffe Castle Park for an afternoon of family fun.

A giant ball of colourful yarn with the Bradford skyline around the edge of it against a blue sky.
FREE

A Good Yarn: BD10 Roll

Luke Jerram & Bloomin' Buds

Roll with it! Our giant ball of yarn rolls into BD10.

SOLD OUT Training session

BD: Walls – Session 9: public mural creation, part 1

Practical session. Get closer to creating a mural in a public space in this training session, part of the BD: Walls Talent Development Programme.