What's Happening in Bradford blog

2011 has been another great year for Leeds Bradford Airport, with passenger numbers hitting the three million mark. But chief executive John Parkin doesn’t plan on resting on his laurels and he is working on ambitious plans to ensure that 2012 is an even better year for LBA.

Bradford’s Lord Mayor is taking part in a fundraising expedition to Pakistan in partnership with a Bradford based humanitarian charity. The Sunbridge Road based Basic Human Rights charity will take charitable volunteers on a trek to the K2 base camp as well as projects run by the charity in Pakistan. It is hoped that they will be able to raise money for education projects in the country.

The Queen has honoured Bradford born artist David Hockney by appointing him as a member of the prestigious Order of Merit. The news was announced by Buckingham Palace on New Years Day.

Bradford is gearing up for some big bangs and crashes when the British Science Festival takes place in the city.   Bradford has been chosen as the location for the 2011 festival, which is held in a different location every year. Events will be taking place over a week at different venues in the city, with Bradford University being the central location of the event.

It is a mixture of Dragons’ Den and The Apprentice in Bradford as schoolchildren battle it out in a business competition. Over 200 teams of schoolchildren pitched their inventions and ideas in the Step Up Enterprise Market Challenge run by Bradford Council. Judges chose 61 winning entries to take part in a final that will involve selling their items at a market and trying to make a profit.

Bradford’s new bishop plans to carry on blogging to keep in touch with the community outside the church. The Rt Rev Nick Baines, 53, was enthroned as the 10th bishop of Bradford during a ceremony at the city’s cathedral. The bishop writes a regular online blog entitled “Musings of a restless bishop”.

A Bradford councillor has become Britain’s first female Muslim Mayor. Councillor Naveeda Ikram has made history after being officially installed in the role in a ceremony alongside husband Saqib Salam Shah, who is her Consort for the year.