Students from Belle Vue Girls’ School have transformed a local lane into a vibrant symbol of community pride and cohesion, thanks to a youth-led mural project supported by Near Neighbours and Wellsprings Together.
A group of socially-minded students from Belle Vue Girls’ School in Bradford have brought colour and connection to their neighbourhood through a striking new mural. The project, part of the Catalyst programme run by Near Neighbours in partnership with Wellsprings Together, aimed to foster community cohesion by empowering young people to lead local change.
The students were inspired to act after expressing concerns about the lack of visual appeal in the local environment. With support from Catalyst trainers Pam Kershaw and Rabiyah K. Latif, they secured a £3,000 grant to commission local artists and engage the wider community in the creation of a large-scale mural on the school’s public sports centre. The mural is located on a lane used daily by four local schools and a nearby housing estate.
The students collaborated with Don’t Panic! Art Cru, a creative duo made up of Bradford-born artists Jenna Greenwood and Benjamin James Holden. Through workshops and outreach, the team gathered ideas from local residents to ensure the mural reflected the community’s identity and aspirations.
The mural was officially unveiled at a lively community mela, attended by Lord Mayor Councillor Mohammed Shafiq and Shanaz Gulzar, Creative Director of Bradford City of Culture 2025.
Jeff Singleton, Head of Sixth Form and Teacher of Art at Belle Vue Girls’ School, said:
“We want to create a mural to bring people together with the aim of supporting and fostering community cohesion.”
Belle Vue Girls’ School is based in Bradford and serves a richly diverse student body. The project was delivered through Near Neighbours, a national charity working to build stronger, more integrated communities, in partnership with Wellsprings Together, the West Yorkshire hub for faith-motivated social action. Near Neighbours is part of the Church Urban Fund family and has distributed over £8.5 million in small grants to support grassroots projects across the UK.