Listen to BBC podcasts about Bradford on World Radio Day

Monday, 13th February is World Radio Day - and listeners can now tune into ‘New Postscripts,' a series of five-minute radio pieces recorded by seven different local artists. 

The title is a nod to J.B. Priestley's famous Postscript series which chronicled the lives of ordinary people during the Second World War, beginning in June 1940. 

Now more than 80 years later, coordinated by the University of Bradford, with funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council and support from the BBC, a diverse set of voices take a fresh look at Priestley's home city,

Writer Adelle Stripe gives a nostalgic take on a childhood visit to Bradford's Ice Rink in, 'A Cold Day in July.' 

Describing her trip, not long after figure skaters' Torvill and Dean's Olympic glory in the summer of 1984, she recalls "confident girls with pearl lipstick and permed mullets whizzed past in stone washed denim as chart hits played through the Tannoy."

Pictured above: Adelle Stripe

Adelle, author of the Sunday Times bestseller Ten Thousand Apologies , said: "It has been a privilege to take part in this new audio project inspired by one of our region’s literary titans. A Cold Day in July was a pleasure to create. Like many children in West Yorkshire, I visited the ice rink regularly in the 1980s, and I hope this new podcast captures the spirit of this legendary Bradford institution.  

“Priestley's book, English Journey, was a formative influence on my own writing. Being invited to contribute to this project has been an honour.”   

Musician, Augustin Bousfield, chose Bradford’s “green lungs” as his topic for New Postscripts. 

He said: “I always found Priestley a fascinating character and I'm really interested in both the history of Bradford and the city of now, its people and surroundings, where I work and live.  

Pictured above: Augustin Bousfield

“The skill of the original Postscripts was often in using character and the everyday to illuminate and build a relationship for commentary on gigantic social upheaval and I tried to use a similar way of depicting larger themes through character in my own Postscript.  

“I spend a lot of time producing audio and music and it was brilliant to be able to further contribute by recording and putting together the sound for the other New Postscripts which, all being hugely varied and excellent, I hope I did justice to.” 

Bradford journalist, Tammie Ash discusses her life in an Indian family who "drink alcohol, wear Western clothes and have Yorkshire accents." She adds: "Some might say we're more English than the English folk on the street."

Pictured above: Tammie Ash

Tammie said: “For me it was great to reflect on where I grew up because I don't do it often but it's nice to share a little piece of my home life with people and share how things have been for me in Bradford.  

“I did find it challenging to detach myself though - I had to really take a step back and think about Bradford as a whole and my experience here because you do tend to take your daily life for granted so that was a great learning experience for me. I loved the recording process although reading my own writing back was a bit strange!” 

Other contributors are: 

• Kirsty Taylor, a poet and educator from Bradford
• Bob Stanley, Bradford musician and writer
• Saima Mir, author and journalist
• Furaha Mussanzi, activist and Ecumenical Canon at Bradford Cathedral

Project lead Dr Mark Goodall, programme lead for MA Independent Filmmaking at the University, said: “We have secured a fantastic team of contributors that have important things to say about the state of the world today. Radio is often a forgotten artform in the new media landscape yet can still resonate with a wide audience.”

Pictured above: Dr Mark Goodall

Listen to the New Postscripts here: https://canvas-story.bbcrewind.co.uk/postscripts/