Bradford Student Invites Young Writers for New Project
March 26, 2026Local children encouraged to share stories and poems
A University of Bradford student is inviting children aged five to 17 from the Bradford district to contribute short stories and poems for two upcoming books. The project aims to engage young people in creative writing during a time when artificial intelligence is influencing how people read and write.
Details of the Writing Project
David Ben Eke, an LLB (Hons) Law student and President of the University’s Creative Writing Society, is organising the initiative. Following the release of his first book, Blooming Under Bradford Skies, which featured stories and poems by 22 Bradford-based adult writers, he now plans to focus on younger contributors.
The project will produce two editions:
- One book for children aged 5 to 11, featuring short stories up to 500 words or one poem.
- Another book for young people aged 12 to 17, including short stories up to 1,000 words or up to two poems.
David has expressed the importance of encouraging young people to use their everyday experiences as inspiration for creative writing. He also highlighted the role of storytelling in reflecting and shaping the culture of Bradford, which is noted as one of the UK’s youngest cities.
Future Plans and Community Engagement
In addition to the books, David hopes to organise creative writing sessions in schools across the Bradford district next year. He is also planning a third edition of the book series, focusing again on adult contributions, to be released in 2027. From 2028 onwards, the project aims to become an annual publication featuring stories and poems from children, teenagers, and adults.
Background and Contact Information
Originally from Nigeria, David moved to Bradford in 2021 to begin his studies at the University of Bradford. He will graduate this summer and has spoken about the personal significance of Bradford, describing it as the first place he lived away from his family. His brother is also set to study Law at the university later this year.
Parents interested in submitting their children’s work for inclusion in the upcoming books can contact David via email at davideke359@gmail.com.
The first book, Blooming Under Bradford Skies, is available for purchase on Amazon UK.
