Hollings Road to White Abbey Road ginnel reimagined by girls

The long ginnel from Hollings Road to White Abbey Road was reimagined by teenage girls who live in Manningham.

The snicket - often plagued by fly tips - has been designed in a way that adds a sense of play to children’s journeys.

It also hopes to boost the perception of safety by introducing a sense of community ownership and pride. 

Bright blue steel birds were part of the original design, but these were recently damaged.

But for Phillippa Banister, the founder of Street Space, a new era of positivity has already taken flight.

The paths are etched with hopscotch to make the journey more fun for families.  

She hopes more people will get creative with public spaces around them.

The masterminds behind the project - including Phillippa Banister, the founder of Street Space (Image: Newsquest, Mike Simmonds)

“It’s really important we decided how we use them,” Philippa said.

“Do we want to give these to parked cars or do we want play spaces? Swings for teenage girls? That’s different for each place.

“See where you live as an opportunity. What would make it really great for you and your family? What’s the first step in making that happen? 

“Hopefully what we’re trying to show in this is each community deserves to shape its own spaces. Great things happen when people are allowed to do that.”

Girls reimagined the space and claimed it as somewhere they belong (Image: Newsquest, Mike Simmonds)

Street Space has started working throughout the Frizinghall and Manningham area.

The social enterprise works with residents to reimagine their streets and spaces to make them feel safer as well as spark joy and social connection.

This snicket’s design was created on a budget alongside Hollings Youth Association and funded by JUMP.

The birds were printed by Bradford Laser cutting and sprayed in a bold blue colour by Iron Octopus.

The girls behind the project - including leader Phillippa Banister, the founder of Street Space (Image: Newsquest, Mike Simmonds)

“The birds have only been a test,” said Phillippa.

“These things weren’t meant to last forever. But the conversation that’s already started, that maybe young people have started seeing differently because of that. The sense of ‘we can make a place’. There’s a lot to be said for making spaces that are more inclusive on different levels.

“Very powerful people who might be driving around aren’t going to be driving here, it’s a snicket. Unless somebody lives there they’re not experiencing what somebody might be experiencing.

"These are unseen traumas that happen in communities that affect how people access opportunity or feel in their local area."