Bradford 2025 Elevate Programme
Learn more about Elevate: Bradford 2025's development scheme for local heritage groups, organisations and individuals in Bradford District.
Elevate was our sector-leading development programme for grassroots heritage organisations and practitioners. Throughout 2025, Elevate provided skills training, mentoring and support to cement the future of innovative heritage work in Bradford.
This initiative aimed to strengthen, sustain, and increase the agility of Bradford’s heritage sector, ensuring a legacy work across the district.
In collaboration with Bradford 2025, the programme featured a range of inspiring leaders from the north’s heritage and cultural sector, with monthly talks, workshops, and resources to help local independents grow in confidence, become more secure, and approach the future beyond 2025 with ambition.
The cohort consisted of 13 independent projects or groups, each leading in their field, to ensure Bradford’s heritage sector is strong and resilient, with enhanced skills and equipped for the future.
We recognise that heritage can take many forms, so our cohort wasn’t solely focused on historic buildings or collections of objects, although some do fall into that category. It also included projects centred on communities or specific experiences, who may have previously been excluded from traditional collections, archives and conversations.
Meet the 2025 Elevate cohort below
The Vintage Carriages Trust
Representative: Alexandra Stockdale-HaleyThe Vintage Carriages Trust, is a volunteer-run charity dedicated to preserving and restoring wooden-bodied historical railway carriages. Over the years, the charity has expanded to include a growing public museum, providing greater access to the collection and sharing the story of passenger travel.
Alexandra joined the programme to provide the Trust’s volunteers with valuable training and insight, strengthening the Trust’s sustainability and ensuring its long-term success.
Learn more about Vintage Carriages Trust →
The Vintage Carriages Trust, is a volunteer-run charity dedicated to preserving and restoring wooden-bodied historical railway carriages. Over the years, the charity has expanded to include a growing public museum, providing greater access to the collection and sharing the story of passenger travel.
Alexandra joined the programme to provide the Trust’s volunteers with valuable training and insight, strengthening the Trust’s sustainability and ensuring its long-term success.
Apna Heritage
Representative: Awais HussainApna Heritage, is a UK-based charity celebrating South Asian heritage, with a specific focus on the upper Indus Valley, Punjab, and Jammu-Kashmir. The charity primarily highlights the Mirpur area and its surroundings, offering a rich exploration of arts, culture, history, language, and genealogy.
“Apna,” meaning “our,” connects deeply with the soul, while “heritage” refers to what we pass on. Apna Heritage’s mission is to document the past from an unbiased perspective, sharing stories that shape communities and serving as a trusted resource for those seeking to connect with their roots.
Learn more about Apna Heritage →
Apna Heritage, is a UK-based charity celebrating South Asian heritage, with a specific focus on the upper Indus Valley, Punjab, and Jammu-Kashmir. The charity primarily highlights the Mirpur area and its surroundings, offering a rich exploration of arts, culture, history, language, and genealogy.
“Apna,” meaning “our,” connects deeply with the soul, while “heritage” refers to what we pass on. Apna Heritage’s mission is to document the past from an unbiased perspective, sharing stories that shape communities and serving as a trusted resource for those seeking to connect with their roots.
The Real McCoy
Representative: Christopher PeltierThe Real McCoy™ is the UK’s first travelling Black Inventors Exhibition. It is an interactive, educational exhibition, showcasing a rich heritage of contributions to the world of innovation made by black inventors. It is a free travelling exhibition by Chris Peltier in collaboration with the Saltaire Collection.
The exhibition, launched in May 2024, has been showcased in various venues, including the Dominica Association Bradford, Sheffield Winter Gardens, and The Broadway Bradford. It was part of Heritage Open Days in 2025.
Learn more about The Real McCoy →
The Real McCoy™ is the UK’s first travelling Black Inventors Exhibition. It is an interactive, educational exhibition, showcasing a rich heritage of contributions to the world of innovation made by black inventors. It is a free travelling exhibition by Chris Peltier in collaboration with the Saltaire Collection.
The exhibition, launched in May 2024, has been showcased in various venues, including the Dominica Association Bradford, Sheffield Winter Gardens, and The Broadway Bradford. It was part of Heritage Open Days in 2025.
Go Caribbean CIC
Representative: Karl OxfordGo Caribbean CIC is an organisation dedicated to supporting the development of cultural education and activities within Caribbean Diaspora communities across the UK. Through the Elevate programme, Karl aimed to strengthen the organisation’s programming, growth, collaborations, and partnerships, while reaching new audiences and markets.
Go Caribbean CIC is an organisation dedicated to supporting the development of cultural education and activities within Caribbean Diaspora communities across the UK. Through the Elevate programme, Karl aimed to strengthen the organisation’s programming, growth, collaborations, and partnerships, while reaching new audiences and markets.
The Saltaire Collection
Representative: Maggie SmithThe Saltaire Collection hosts a range of artefacts, ephemera, documents, and photographs that showcase the history and development of Saltaire. Based at Shipley College, this small charity is run by their dedicated volunteers!
Through this programme, Maggie aimed to ensure the Saltaire Collection remains accessible to diverse communities in the Bradford District and beyond, helping to bring the industrial heritage it represents to a wider audience.
Learn more about The Saltaire Collection →
The Saltaire Collection hosts a range of artefacts, ephemera, documents, and photographs that showcase the history and development of Saltaire. Based at Shipley College, this small charity is run by their dedicated volunteers!
Through this programme, Maggie aimed to ensure the Saltaire Collection remains accessible to diverse communities in the Bradford District and beyond, helping to bring the industrial heritage it represents to a wider audience.
Intercultured Festival
Representative: Mussarat Rahman Intercultured Festival works with communities to showcase their stories and culture through different art forms. It is a festival for the community, made with the community. It has been created completely from a grassroots level, co-curated with artists, community and local organisations.
Learn more about Intercultured Festival →
Intercultured Festival works with communities to showcase their stories and culture through different art forms. It is a festival for the community, made with the community. It has been created completely from a grassroots level, co-curated with artists, community and local organisations.
The Museum at Hanson
Representative: Polly SlaterThe Museum at Hanson is a small in-house museum at Hanson Delta Academy, with exhibitions celebrating local history and heritage as well as world culture- all created to aid the students learning!
The Museum at Hanson joined Elevate to build more connections with art and heritage professionals in the area, encourage conversations around accessibility, and make their exhibits more accessible to a diverse range of visitors.
Learn more about the Museum at Hanson →
The Museum at Hanson is a small in-house museum at Hanson Delta Academy, with exhibitions celebrating local history and heritage as well as world culture- all created to aid the students learning!
The Museum at Hanson joined Elevate to build more connections with art and heritage professionals in the area, encourage conversations around accessibility, and make their exhibits more accessible to a diverse range of visitors.
Run of the Mill History
Representative: Jude KershawJude Kershaw is an artist, historical interpreter, and reenactor. Working with Run of the Mill History and serving on the Saltaire Collection board, Jude is particularly focused on learning and participation. Her work spans a range of topics, including LGBTQIA+ history, the activist movement, suffrage, Victorian pubs, and Victorian Christmas traditions. Jude is passionate about bringing history to life through storytelling, blending creativity and education to engage audiences with important historical narratives.
Learn more about the Run of the Mill →
Jude Kershaw is an artist, historical interpreter, and reenactor. Working with Run of the Mill History and serving on the Saltaire Collection board, Jude is particularly focused on learning and participation. Her work spans a range of topics, including LGBTQIA+ history, the activist movement, suffrage, Victorian pubs, and Victorian Christmas traditions. Jude is passionate about bringing history to life through storytelling, blending creativity and education to engage audiences with important historical narratives.
Ben Stables
Representative: Ben StablesBen is part of the ShelfHalifax team, who are an organisation dedicated to preserving and exploring the history of Shelf – a village stuck between the urban sprawl of Halifax and Bradford. Their webpage contains a collection of writings, photographs and books that delve into the village’s history.
Learn more about ShelfHalifax →
Ben is part of the ShelfHalifax team, who are an organisation dedicated to preserving and exploring the history of Shelf – a village stuck between the urban sprawl of Halifax and Bradford. Their webpage contains a collection of writings, photographs and books that delve into the village’s history.
Bradford Trident
Representative: Haleema KhathoonThe Better Place team collaborates with local community centres, libraries, and early years settings to improve access to outdoor green spaces for families with young children. The team has also worked extensively to enhance local green spaces.
Through the programme, Carlton aimed to further develop community engagement practices and expand the network of organisations. By supporting and promoting the use of green spaces in Bradford District and beyond, they wanted to ensure they are accessible to all communities.
The Better Place team collaborates with local community centres, libraries, and early years settings to improve access to outdoor green spaces for families with young children. The team has also worked extensively to enhance local green spaces.
Through the programme, Carlton aimed to further develop community engagement practices and expand the network of organisations. By supporting and promoting the use of green spaces in Bradford District and beyond, they wanted to ensure they are accessible to all communities.
Bradford South Asian Heritage Forum CIC/Bradford South Asian Festival
Representative: Aisha Iqbal KhanBradford South Asian Heritage Forum CIC/Bradford South Asian Festival, is made up of a collective of artists, community organisers, teachers, journalists and others who have come together. The festival celebrates their Asian cultural heritage and plays a key role in shaping and enriching communities and cities in the UK. The initial month-long festival featured a diverse range of activities, including art, music, dance, and storytelling, while also inviting people to engage in conversations about their lived experiences through historical, contemporary, and geographical perspectives.
Learn more about the Bradford South Asian Festival →
Bradford South Asian Heritage Forum CIC/Bradford South Asian Festival, is made up of a collective of artists, community organisers, teachers, journalists and others who have come together. The festival celebrates their Asian cultural heritage and plays a key role in shaping and enriching communities and cities in the UK. The initial month-long festival featured a diverse range of activities, including art, music, dance, and storytelling, while also inviting people to engage in conversations about their lived experiences through historical, contemporary, and geographical perspectives.
