We’re incredibly excited to have been featured on Bradford 2025!

We’re introducing the people of Bradford to the world. People like Rubina and Sadia, keeping their heritage alive and empowering women in Bradford Moor.

Rubina, told us: “The term most people use about WomenZone is that it’s like a family. I think that speaks for itself, that people are well looked after, well taken care of, and well listened to.”

“Most of the women who use the centre are South Asian, from the first generation to the present. One thing which bridges the gap is cultural activities. Everyone has a special bond with their culture, and we always want to stay connected with our roots, culture and art and music.”

“If you put on a performance or you put on an exhibition, it’s making a space where people from different cultures or different generations feel they can come together. A lot of people will say, “Oh, I can’t go to the church” or “I can’t go to the mosque” or “I can’t go here” or “I can’t go there”. But food and music and all that stuff, they bring people together because they don’t have any boundaries, they don’t have any language. Only a language of love, which we all understand.”

Sadia added: “What you get with WomenZone is what it says on the tin. Our logo says WomenZone Empowering Women, and that’s what we’re all about.”

“We had the Loving Grannies Music project, which was looking at folk music and where it came from in places like India and Pakistan, how it’s traveled across the seas and come here. So, it’s just trying to keep bits of heritage alive.”

“I feel like this is a place where people can be seen. Often, women are doing their duty. They’re looking after everybody else, they put everyone’s needs first. This is a place they come where their needs are met, where they are put first, their voices are heard. And I think that’s a really nice feeling to have for the women, that this is somewhere where they’re seen for who they are rather than just what they can do for others.”

The People of Bradford is a digital series by renowned documentary photographer, Tim Smith, for Bradford 2025. Tim’s photographs and creative work capture the social and cultural experience of his subjects, and in this insightful series, we’ll bring together the lives and stories of real Bradford people with his captivating imagery.

We are Bradford 2025. We are people powered.