Simon Jenkins sees Bradford as a “cold spot” amid the successes of other parts of Yorkshire (Could Bradford be the Shoreditch of Yorkshire – or is it the next Detroit?, 3 May). None of us who were born and bred, live or work here doubt the challenges the city faces, not least from the impact of austerity on its economy. But there are some areas in which Bradford is leading the way. Challenges can prompt imaginative thinking. In Bradford an alliance of local people, health professionals and academics got together to set up a major study to improve the health of children.

Born in Bradford began in 2007, includes over 30,000 parents and children, and continues to work with these families. It is providing lessons for Bradford and similar cities across the world about how improving health is everybody’s concern. It has been the catalyst for extending research in the city by linking individual health, education and local authority data and making the city one of the first in England to be able to monitor the health and wellbeing of its population in real time. It provides the context for trying new things and measuring their impact, as illustrated by its partnership with the Better Start Bradford project.

The population of Bradford are often defined by their differences – the haves and have-nots, the different ethnic or religious groups. What Born in Bradford exemplifies is the unity of Bradford’s population, and the strength that is gained by coming together and working towards a common purpose. People now look at Bradford and see a city that uses the creativity that council chief executive Kersten England seeks, to say “this is what we need to do to improve children’s health”.



Prof Deborah A Lawlor

Prof Neil Small

Dr Pippa Bird

Dr Joanna Gibson,

Dr Dan Mason

Dr Rosie McEachan

Prof Kate Pickett

Prof John Wright

This letter was amended on 10 May 2018 to correct the job title of Kersten England

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