Cheers, crisps and community spirit

Some of the region’s most recognisable food and drink brands kicked things off in style.

Morrisons launched a brand new product to mark the year – a Chicken Balti Pie, chosen by customers and inspired by Bradford’s rich food heritage. The pie nods to the city’s traditional pie shops with a recipe infused with classic curry house spice. “We wanted to shine a spotlight on Bradford and the great food and flavours that we produce here” said Fred Stevens, Pie Shop Buyer at Morrisons.

Seabrook Crisps added extra crunch to the celebrations with three limited-edition crisp flavours created for Bradford 2025 – Fish & Chips, Chicken Curry and Cheddar & Chutney crisps can be found on shelves in Morrisons and have been enjoyed by our brilliant Bradford 2025 volunteers during their volunteer inductions.

Saltaire Brewery launched Be Bold, a bespoke Bradford 2025 beer, just in time for our opening event RISE. And with 20% of profits from Be Bold supporting future events, Saltaire Brewery are joining us in celebrating our city’s rich culture.

Timothy Taylor’s, Regal Foods and Heera have also shown their support – reinforcing just how deeply rooted Bradford 2025 is in the food and drink stories of our region.

Loading Bay was one of the first new spaces to open as part of Bradford 2025 – and it wouldn’t have come together without help from our partners.

Crown Paints donated a huge amount of paint, not just for Loading Bay but for our BD Walls project too – a big splash of colour with a massive impact.

Palmer Landscapes brought a green touch to the build, helping turn a city centre plot into a welcoming cultural hub.

And the tech experts at CHAUVET Professional are helping us shine a spotlight on great talent, supporting us to kit out Loading Bay with state of the art stage lighting.

In February, Damart supported us by providing the venue for Grue – a magical, family-friendly event that invited visitors to explore a world built entirely from recycled materials.

City of Culture wouldn’t be what it is without the people who give their time to make it special.

Banana Moon stepped up to provide our volunteer uniforms – a small gesture with a big impact, helping our team feel like a team. Alex Grace, Managing Director of Banana Moon Clothing, said: “With myself and generations of my family rooted in this city, I am honoured to play our part in this special year.”

First Bus also played a key role, offering free travel passes to volunteers and wrapping one of their buses in full Bradford 2025 branding – helping spread the word and keep the city moving. John Roxburgh, Head of Operations for First Bus for North & West Yorkshire, said: “Our team and our fleet will be a living, moving billboard for the UK City of Culture, helping to keep this once-in-a-lifetime spectacle in the minds of local people and newcomers to experience the brilliant entertainment and diversity in communities throughout Bradford.”

Behind the scenes, some of our biggest boosts have come from businesses making sure Bradford 2025 runs smoothly.

Schofield Sweeney provided office space at Church Bank House and legal support. “Bradford 2025 has been a spark for change” said Managing Partner Graham Sweeney. “It’s the best way to amplify Bradford’s message to a broader audience.”

Itc. is supporting our telecommunications – from mobile packages to internet connectivity – while High Speed Training delivered safeguarding training for our team.

We’ve also had practical support from Prove Privacy, YemeTech, Azets, TL Dallas, Expect Distribution, and Power Saving Solutions, who’ve kept things running with everything from insurance to logistics to battery power pods.

Sovereign Health Care have put their best foot forward to support Bradford on Foot, a collection of themed walks and tours around Bradford District for Bradford 2025.

Neil McCallum, Sovereign Health Care Chief Executive said: “We are delighted to be partnering with BD2025 for the Bradford on Foot project. As a business focused on supporting the health of local people, the idea of bringing together culture and exercise really appeals to us. Bradford on Foot involves people of all ages and will encourage everyone, from seasoned walkers to those who may need a reason to get out and about, to explore our district, helping both physical and mental wellbeing. Bradford has some amazing history, hidden corners and beautiful nature to discover, and I know our team is looking forward to joining in and seeing more of our local area.”

Thanks again to everyone who made the first months of Bradford 2025 unforgettable. This is only the beginning – and we can’t wait to keep sharing the story of how our partners are helping bring Bradford 2025 to life.