AN adventure film shot in Bradford has been produced to help families explore parks across the city, with scannable QR codes leading to extra ‘hidden’ stories..

Aladdin and the Stolen Stories is a digital storytelling experience produced by Bradford Literature Festival with Wrongsemble Theatre, as part of Bradford Inspired. The Aladdin tale has been re-imagined in a mix of live action and animation filmed at locations such as Oastler Market, City Park, City Hall and Salts Mill and told through five short episodes free to watch on the BLF website.

Aladdin and his friends discover a further five stories, the ‘Found Stories’. Families can download a ‘Story Map’ for one of six community parks across Bradford and, by following the map, will discover QR codes that will lead them to where the ‘Found Stories’ have been hidden. For families who are shielding, a ‘Stay-at-Home Story Map’ has been created so they can discover the ‘Found Stories’ without leaving their home.

Accompanying the series is a fun, creative Activity Booklet, available to download, so children can read and play along at home. Hard copies will be distributed to all Bradford primary schools throughout April, with support from Bradford Council and via Better Start Bradford; Bradford Libraries; Bradford Care Service; the National Literacy Trust; Canterbury Imagine; St Luke’s Hospital; Bradford Royal Infirmary and Bradford Metropolitan Food Bank.

To reach children and families in digital poverty, without access to the internet, DVDs of Aladdin and the Stolen Stories are being distributed for free via aforementioned organisations. The storytelling project is funded by Building A Stronger Britain Together, with additional support from Better Start Bradford, as part of Bradford Inspired.

Syima Aslam, Director of Bradford Literature Festival, said: “As an organisation endlessly inspired by the communities and culture of Bradford, I’m grateful that we have the opportunity to give something back through ‘Bradford Inspired’.

We’re celebrating themes of community and connection, hope and creativity, which are now more important than ever before.

“We have worked hard to ensure that Aladdin and the Stolen Stories is accessible off-line for families in digital and data poverty. We’re grateful to the Home Office for making the funds available for this project and hope that we can help people feel less isolated and more uplifted, at this challenging time.”

Alex Spragg, Director of Better Start Bradford, said: “We are delighted to be sponsoring the BLF and the Aladdin and the Stolen Stories story trail. It’s great that the trail incorporates many of Bradford’s lovely parks and we hope families across the district enjoy getting outdoors and bringing the story to life.

“We’re also excited that the story trail will give people an opportunity to see some of the areas created through our Better Place project.”

Bradford Literature Festival’s Schools & Education programme holds free events for people on benefits, in social housing, refugees and asylum seekers, and events are discounted for students, senior citizens and people with a disability. The 2020 festival took place online with more than 50 digital events.

* For more about the digital storytelling project go to bradfordlitfest.co.uk/Aladdin