A play which depicts life on some of the Bradford district’s traditionally white estates is being performed this week.
Estate Of Mind was inspired by research commissioned by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation to look at issues and challenges faced by residents of the Scholemoor estate in Bradford and Braithwaite and Guardhouse estates in Keighley.
The research, published last week, found residents often felt they were regarded as the “lowest of the low” and stigmatised by where they live.
Performed by Bradford-based theatre company Arakan Creative, the play focuses on issues including migration, relations between older and younger generations and lack of respect, through fictional characters who live on the two estates.
Director Conor Ibrahiem said: “There are many people on the estates who want positive change but they just get lost in the wilderness of negativity. It has been interesting getting to know what’s on people’s minds and giving a voice to people who want a voice.”
Bana Gora, the foundation’s Bradford manager, said the play was commissioned to ensure the findings of the research and its recommendations reached as many people as possible.
She added: “There’s no quick-fix solution on these estates, but residents need to be part of the solution and not just the problem.”
The report recommended agency workers and Council staff receive more training to understand residents, and suggested incentives were offered to service providers.
The play forms part of the foundation’s Communities Bradford project, for which a variety of approaches, including film-making, books, creative arts and public lectures, have been used to present results.
More than 200 people were expected to attend performances at Bingley Arts Centre and the Alhambra Studio, Bradford.
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