Murals bring colour and community spirit to Esholt caravan site, Bradford
Residents at the Esholt Caravan Site are celebrating the arrival of new murals that have transformed the entrance into a vibrant, welcoming space.
The project is a collaboration between Better Place, Leeds GATE (Leeds Gypsy and Traveller Exchange), and local artists Helen Corney and Hannah Lawson Art, who worked closely with families on site to create artwork that reflects the community’s values, traditions, and love of nature.
The initiative builds on Better Place’s mission to create vibrant and engaging visual outdoor spaces for families with young children to enjoy for years to come across Bradford.
Better Start Bradford is part of the ten-year (2015-2025), £215 million A Better Start programme (ABS) funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK.
Over the past few years, the Leeds GATE team has strengthened its presence on site through regular engagement, family activities, and creative projects. During the summer, residents took part in gardening sessions that inspired some of the mural designs now proudly displayed at the site entrance.
Linds Barker, Bradford Team Leader, Leeds GATE, said: “Through our work with the families living on Esholt Gypsy and Traveller site over the last three years, we know how important bettering the places they live was to residents.
“The site was originally opened in 1973 as a local authority site in an isolated rural location. Through consultation with the families and children who attend our on-site Kids Club, it was decided that the entrance to the site needed brightening up to make it feel more welcoming. We had already worked with the artists Hannah and Helen on Mary Street Traveller Site and were so impressed by their skill and passion.
“Thank you to them and Better Place Bradford for making this work happen. The feedback from families and the children has been great and we hope it can be enjoyed for many years to come as we continue our advocacy work to make improvements to the site with residents."
Adele Adams, Better Place Bradford Project Lead, said: “Working on the murals with the residents of the Esholt Caravan site has been lovely. We wanted to bring a little magic to the site exterior, especially for the little ones, so we designed scenes that celebrate British wildlife that Helen and Hannah interpreted beautifully.
“It’s been lovely watching everyone’s creativity come together to make the space feel even more special.”
The new artwork follows the success of a similar project at the Mary Street site last year, where murals were co-created with residents and featured animals that represented both urban life and Gypsy and Traveller culture.
The murals were funded by Better Place, which continues to work with communities across Bradford to create engaging, inclusive spaces that support wellbeing and connection for families with 0-3s.
Better Start Bradford press release/TT News
(Photographs courtesy of Better Start Bradford)