A NEW film about Bradford’s becks will be shown for the first time at a festival on Sunday. 

The Friends of Bradford’s Becks (FOBB) commissioned the film to show the path of water from Thornton down to Shipley, which will premiere at the Beck Festival, on Sunday (August 20). 

Billy White, a young film-maker from Skipton who made the film, said “I’m thrilled to be screening this new film revealing the amazing work of FOBB and the hidden beauty of Bradford’s waterways.

"From the rural streams to the urban canals, you’ll discover the history and potential of these vital resources with excellent insight by representatives from the Environment Agency and Bradford Council along the way.

"I learned so much in the making of this film and am very excited to see how the renaturalisation and daylighting projects will transform the city in the future.”

Barney Lerner, FOBB chair, said “I’m impressed how much Billy was able to pack into 12 minutes of film.

"We start up at Thornton where Pinch Beck comes under the viaduct of the Great North Trail. 

"Pitty Beck in Allerton, Chellow Dene, and Middlebrook in Fairweather Green feature before the beck is followed into the city centre.  The final visit is to the very artificial-looking part of the beck in Shipley.”

The film and the festival are funded by an Arts, Culture, and Heritage Grant from Bradford Council and FOBB's own resources.

There will be plenty of activities for families at the festival. These include workshops where people can make water-themed Arabic calligraphy, summer-themed nature tiles, or Boggarts - the mysterious creatures that live in the beck.  The Two Rivers Footstompers will be playing trad jazz classics, many with a river theme. 

FOBB has designed a walking guide describing the section of the beck between Shipley Station and Poplar Road. 

These will be available for free at the festival, alongside copies of an earlier guide that describes seven walks around many of the other becks in Bradford. 

The festival will run from 12 noon until 4pm beside the cycleway alongside Valley Road and the beck in Shipley, between Briggate and Poplar Road. 

People are encouraged to cycle or walk there as there is no on-site parking.