Spanish trip helps beat the bullies

Youngsters from the Manningham and Girlington Youth Partnership have helped others in Spain - including the American children of services personnel - by offering guidance on tackling racism and bullying.

The exchange was put together by members of the youth partnership, set up as part of the £10 million regeneration of the area.

Based at the Girlington Community Centre, it won praise from Lord Ouseley in his review of race relations in Bradford.

Volunteers spent time running workshops for other children on a US military air base in Spain. The predominantly Asian group dressed in traditional Asian clothes and cooked Asian delicacies for their hosts, who in turn staged a flamenco evening and prepared a local meal.

One of those taking part, Sajid Patel, said: "I was on a US air base, teaching young people in summer schools about anti-racism and bullying, also teaching the children football and cricket.

"I had a great time with my group, it took me a week to recover since I only had two hours sleep every day.

"The second week was awesome. I visited Cordoba, Cadiz and Seville in the south of Spain, it was amazing and mind-blowing. The people were very nice, they would sleep in the day and the shops were shut - they liked to live life in the evening."

Sajid, who is studying social policy at the University of Bradford, is involved in several youth schemes in Bradford and the Spain trip was his third exchange visit.

"I have done a lot of youth-led work for the last three years and really enjoy it," he said.

The group acted as ambassadors for Bradford and made formal presentations to the Commander of the American base and the Mayor of Utrera, presenting gifts and letters from the Lord Mayor of Bradford. They have brought back gifts to be presented to the Lord Mayor of Bradford at a future date.

The Youth Partnership members helped raise funds for their hosts' youth centre by organising and participating in a car wash.