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Green Youth Action in Bradford

Introducing one of our #TeamWilder youth groups, the self-titled Green Hand Gang, based in Great Horton in Bradford.

The group are supported by The Youth Association as part of a project funded by Pears Youth funding. Committed to and enthusiastic about their local urban nature spots and their community, the group’s interests evolved out of a love of playing out and exploring.

Natural urban spaces are not always valued by visitors and the young people of Great Horton are happy to lend a (green) hand to support the hard work of Bradford Council’s clean street team and the Countryside and Right’s of Way Service.

While the group are out discovering wildlife, playing and enjoying the peaceful green spaces they also pick litter, help keep pathways clear and unblock streams.

Group of youths having sone a litter pick, posing for the camera with 5 full bags of rubbish collected on the ground in front of them. It's an autumn day as they have warm coats and hats on.

Green Hand Gang litter pick, Great Horton, Bradford (c) Sarah Goldsmith

We have done lots of litter picking and it makes you feel really good to see it all tidy and it is fun doing it too.
Green Hand Gang

Although the group knew the importance of bees, they were very nervous about getting too close to them, and so Summer 2023 was spent immersed in the world of bumblebees.

Sarah, our #TeamWilder Youth Engagement Officer did some myth-busting about bumblebees and taught the group how to ID seven bumblebees (the only bumblebees likely to be living in such an urban area).

The group soon became bee experts and started taking action for bees firstly in their community centre garden and then expanding out to offer help to local residents with their gardens.

Group of youths gardening in an urban, residential front garden of a house

Green Hand Gang putting their gardening skills into practise. (c) Sarah Goldsmith

We tidied up our own garden and planted wildflower seeds to see what would happen and we got lots of flowers and bees visiting. Once we had done this and seen that it worked we knew we could help other people with their gardens too.
Green Hand Gang
Group of youths gardening in an urban, residential area, helping the community

Green Hand Gang doing some urban gardening in the community of Great Horton, Bradford. (c) Sarah Goldsmith

Autumn has been spent developing some 'Wild Street Trails' to link people in the community with their local nature spaces. 

With some funding from West Yorkshire Combined Authority for active travel projects, the group helped create a map and three trails to connect Great Horton Community Hub to greenspaces.

Running two community events to involve as many people as they could in the design and launch of the trails, the group are exemplars of the #TeamWilder ethos.

A group of children holding a street trail sign.
We have done lots of exploring and we wanted other people to be able to explore too so we have created wildlife paths for people to follow. This has taken a lot of time because we have to chat to people on the way and ask them to put signs up on their walls … it is really nice when they are friendly, it makes you feel really happy that there are nice people in our community.
Green Hand Gang
Group of youths holding a board depicting a map of their wild street trails that they have designed. They are stood under a sign saying Community Hub and Library

Green Hand Gang - Wild Street Trails launch event. (c) Jo Rawson

In 2024 the group are planning to showcase their trails to other Bradford Community Centres to inspire new ‘wild street trails’ … we are hopeful that eventually this will create a ‘Wild Walking Web’!

They are also planning to explore further afield, out into the district’s upland habitat with Yorkshire Peat Partnership, learning about how bogs store water and carbon, and getting involved in taking action for water voles.

Group of youths out in nature using binoculars. They are standing in long grass in an open green space with trees and hills in the distance.

Green Hand Gang out in nature. (c) Sarah Goldsmith

Calling young people aged 13-25 years who might want to get involved in our water vole patrols...

Find out more by joining us at The Common Place in Bradford city centre 5-7pm every 1st Monday of the month or contact:  team.wilder@ywt.org.uk

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