Meet the Our Patch team
We’re supporting culture in the community through Our Patch - meet our team of Our Patch Producers and Creative Practitioners.
The Our Patch team of creative people are making art and bringing joy across our communities, working with community centres and organisations to bring people together and helping even more local events and activities become bigger and brighter in 2025.
We know that there’s creativity and joy across the whole of Bradford District – in every postcode and every ward. It’s why Bradford was awarded UK City of Culture 2025. The Our Patch Producers are now supporting communities across the district to let this creativity shine, collaborating with artists and creatives to learn new skills and enrich their neighbourhoods.
Read on to find out more about the Our Patch team and what they’re up to.
Gaby Lees
Our Patch Project LeadGaby is project lead, supporting the Our Patch team. She has a background in socially engaged practice as a visual artist, curator and educator and has held producing roles at York Art Gallery, the Yorkshire Museum, Barnsley Museums and the British Library in Leeds. She has a Masters Degree in Art Conservation and completed the Clore intensive leadership course in 2019. She lives in Pudsey, just 15 minutes’ drive from Bradford City Centre.
Gaby is project lead, supporting the Our Patch team. She has a background in socially engaged practice as a visual artist, curator and educator and has held producing roles at York Art Gallery, the Yorkshire Museum, Barnsley Museums and the British Library in Leeds. She has a Masters Degree in Art Conservation and completed the Clore intensive leadership course in 2019. She lives in Pudsey, just 15 minutes’ drive from Bradford City Centre.
Rebekah Weatherby
Engagement Programme CoordinatorRebekah is the project coordinator, supporting the team of Our Patch Producers and Creative Practitioners working across the district. Her background is in community music making practices, and she plays and teaches piano. She has worked in online music education and is adept at making systems and processes to help everyone deliver to the best of their ability! She lives in Farsley, Leeds.
Creative Practitioners working across the district:
Josie Tothill – artist and activist, leading the People’s Care Movement project advocating for radical approaches to create a more caring society
Karol Wyszynski – photographer and community catalyst, setting up projects to support wellbeing and mental health for Eastern European communities across Bradford
Ahseem Yousuff – filmmaker working with communities to document their Our Patch experiences.
Nathan McGill – photographer
Rebekah is the project coordinator, supporting the team of Our Patch Producers and Creative Practitioners working across the district. Her background is in community music making practices, and she plays and teaches piano. She has worked in online music education and is adept at making systems and processes to help everyone deliver to the best of their ability! She lives in Farsley, Leeds.
Creative Practitioners working across the district:
Josie Tothill – artist and activist, leading the People’s Care Movement project advocating for radical approaches to create a more caring society
Karol Wyszynski – photographer and community catalyst, setting up projects to support wellbeing and mental health for Eastern European communities across Bradford
Ahseem Yousuff – filmmaker working with communities to document their Our Patch experiences.
Nathan McGill – photographer
Bradford East
Bolton & Undercliffe; Bowling & Barkerend; Bradford Moor; Eccleshill; Little Horton; Idle & Thackley.
Samina Ali, Our Patch Producer – Bradford East
Sam works part-time for Bradford Council’s Neighbourhood team as a Ward Officer in Bradford East. She’s also worked at Bradford College as a tutor for Adult Learning in ESOL, Beauty Therapy, Bridal Makeup & Mindfulness. She lives in BD18 (Shipley) and her interests include: keeping fit with aerobics and playing tennis & squash; reading; cooking; socialising with friends & colleagues, and balloon modelling.
Creative Practitioners
Duncan Burnett – community artist, educator, and mental health advocate
Katie Shepherd – bereavement specialist and artist working for climate justice, health & wellbeing
Kauser Mukhtar – poet, lyricist, songwriter, composer and theatre maker
Morgan Thomas – community musician, drummer, percussionist, pianist and songwriter
Ruth Agbolade – photography, upcycling and mural painting
Farzana Khan – painter, calligrapher
Uzair Khan – boxing and wellbeing coach
Zahabia – creative horticulturist
Punjabi Roots Academy – leading dhol drumming workshops
Zareena Bano – visual art and textiles
Community Partners
MAPA; Laisterdyke Community Centre; Marie Curie Hospice; Bradford Youth Services; Barkerend Family Hub; Upper Bolton Social Club; Delius Special School; Parkside Community Centre; PossAbilities; Bradford Moor PASS; The Woodroyd Centre; Ravenscliffe Community Centre; The Gateway Centre; Al Hira Islamic Centre; 30th Bradford Cubs & Scouts; Carlton Bolling School; Get2gether; the Oneness Centre.
Bradford South
Great Horton; Queensbury; Royds; Tong; Wibsey; Wyke.
Ritesh Biswas, Our Patch Producer – Bradford South
Ritesh has been working for Just IT, supporting young people into careers in IT through apprenticeships and training. Prior to that he was Head of Student Recruitment at Corndel College in London and has also worked in recruitment for the NHS Leeds & York Partnership Trust. He lives in BD3 (Bradford East) and in his spare time he enjoys football, weight training and various other sporting activities. He has an interest in mentoring and has volunteered as a Volunteer Panel Member with the Bradford Youth Offending Team.
Creative Practitioners
Emily Parkin – visual artist, illustrator and designer
Kerry Wright – writer and screenwriter
Kirsty Taylor – writer, poet, theatre maker, facilitator, and event curator
Natasha Brown (Tasha) – community artist specialising in sculpture and installation
Natasha Joseph (Nat) – multi-media artist, curator and director of We Belong Here
The United Arts Project – nurturing wellbeing through visual arts and drama
Community Partners
The TFD Centre and Holmewood Library; The Valley Project; Reevy Hill Family Hub; St Wilfreds Church; Buttershaw Youth Centre; Wibsey Community Garden; Motiv8 College; The Life Centre, Bierley; Springfield Community Garden; Great Horton Community Centre; Sandale Trust Centre; Tong Village; Holme in the Wood Cafe; WYP Early Action Team.
Bradford West
City; Clayton & Fairweather Green; Heaton; Manningham; Thornton & Allerton; Toller
Shazia Bibi, Our Patch Producer – Bradford West
Shazia is a freelance producer and project manager working in the arts sector. She has delivered projects for East Street Arts in Leeds and with Bradford Producing Hub. She has collaborated with visual artists, dancers and theatre companies. She lives in BD3 (Bradford East).
Creative Practitioners
Creative Flare: Lorrett Mcintosh and Rozina Tariq – community advocacy, upskilling and training through the visual arts, fashion, beauty, cookery and healthy lifestyles
Hafsa Naib – photography, film and socially engaged practice
Katie Shepherd – bereavement specialist and artist working for climate justice, health & wellbeing
Rachel Cambell – storytelling, nature exploration, and arts & crafts, all made accessible through creative play
Lisa Naylor – painter, illustrator, sculptor
Rubina Akram – poet and scholar of Urdu poetry and spoken word
Community Partners
Bradford New Church; Lower Grange Community Centre; Girlington Community Centre; The Dominican Association; Bradford Youth Services; Khidmat Women’s Centre; The Mustafa Centre; Bradford City FC Community Foundation; Thornaby Hub, Clayton; Bradford Stronger Together; The Bridge Project.
Keighley & Ilkley
Craven; Keighley Central; Keighley East: Keighley West; Ilkley; Worth Valley
Gemma Hobbs, Our Patch Producer – Keighley & Ilkley
Gemma founded Keighley Creative (a thriving arts centre with artists’ studios, a cinema and a gallery) and was its Creative Director for the past six years. She has a strong background in arts education, community development and creative place-making. Gemma lives in BD16 (Bingley).
Creative Practitioners
Aimee Grundell – community art, design, events and project management
Alex Dunlop – improvisation and stand-up comedy
Eyarun Nessa – community development and film making
Hannah Butterfield – performer, storyteller, art facilitator and choir lead
Mussarat Raza – visual art, textiles and print
Tracy Tough – creative community engagement and advocacy
Tom Warrington & Lucy Rhodes – playful print making, collage, zines and badges,
Helena Dowsland – social media guru
Bob Smith – photographer
Lorna Hampton-Bowes – creative session support and community liaison
Made with Music – music-making for people with complex needs
Zoe Katsilerou – performer, musician and dancer
Community Partners
Keighley Creative; Bradford Youth Services; Word Up North; Airedale Shopping Centre; Leeds Piano Trail; Good Shepherds; Keighley Salvation Army; Hainworth Wood Community Centre; The New Keith Thompson Centre; The Clarke Foley Centre; The Oaks, Keighley; Roshni Ghar; Eastwood Community School; Keighley Ats Hub; Small World Cultural Arts Collective; Bangladeshi Community Association; Dementia Friendly Keighley; Get Out More CIC; Highfield Community Association; KAWACC; Rainbow Family Hub; Sangat Community Centre; Keighley College; Keighley as a Place of Sanctuary; Bingley Youth Cafe.
Shipley
Baildon; Bingley; Bingley Rural; Shipley; Wharfedale; Windhill & Wrose.
Maddy Allen, Our Patch Producer – Shipley
Maddy has previously worked full-time leading fund-raising for Choose Love, a charity helping grassroots organisations to support displaced people. She first worked for Choose Love in Calais, enabling humanitarian aid and services to reach those in need on a key migration route. Maddy also has experience in youth work from roles in Bradford, Edinburgh and at a residential children’s home in South London. She lives in BD9 (Bradford West) and in her spare time she is learning the cello and taking weekly classes at Northern School of Contemporary Dance.
Creative Practitioners
Amy Bairstow – visual artist and muralist co-founder of Artworks Education
Dan Mallaghan – theatre-based artist and community practitioner
Emma Bairstow – co-founder of Artworks Education, visual artist and arts education specialist
Kirsty Taylor – writer, poet, theatre maker, facilitator, and event curator
Nicola Murray – Director of Kynd, sustainable artist, facilitator and advocate for youth voice
Nicola Storr – drawing and illustration
Tricia Arthur-Stubbs – dancer
Keyhan Modaressi Chahardehi – photographer
Louise Rayner – photographer
Jae Depz – DJ and musician
Community Partners
The Bolton Woods Centre; Northcliffe Environmental Enterprises Team; Saltaire Festival; Bingley Creates; Unique Voices Baildon; Bradford Youth Services; Denholme Youth Centre; Windhill Community Centre; Crag Road Community Hub; Memory Tree; St James’ Community Church; Bradford Christian School; Skylight Lounge; Masjid Ayesha; CABAD; Bolton Villas Family Church; New Choices; Shipley Resource Centre.
