Why Keighley?
Keighley is an urban area in the Bradford district selected for the Act Locally programme due to its high levels of deprivation and strong community and voluntary sector resources.
- Over half of families are in low income households.
- Ranked the 6th most deprived ward in the Bradford District (2019 Index of Multiple Deprivation).
- Life expectancy is 7 years shorter than in Wharfedale, Bradford’s most affluent area.
- 8.2% of adults in Keighley experienced hunger in 2021.
Who's Involved?
Keighley also has a strong tradition of community organising, particularly in youth work. The convening partnership includes:
- Local Authority
- Bradford Children & Families Trust
- Schools and Multi Academy Trusts (Keighley Schools Together)
- VCS organisations
- Public Health
- NHS bodies
- Born in Bradford and Age of Wonder research teams
Together, we follow a collective impact approach — working collaboratively across sectors to drive meaningful, community-led change.
Priority Issue: Food Insecurity, Poor Diet and Nutrition (with a focus on oral health)
The partnership began in September 2023 and identified this as the top priority.
Reasons include:
- 20% of families in Keighley face food insecurity.
- 11% of adults report anxiety over food access.
- Schools report pupils arriving without proper nutrition.
- Obesity is 6.5% higher than national average.
- Healthy eating levels are 6.4% lower than the UK average.
By building on local knowledge and data from the Centre for Applied Education Research (CAER), we aim to create long-term, sustainable change in the health and wellbeing of the Keighley community.
Our Journey So Far
2018–2022: Delivery of Bradford Opportunity Area programme
2019–2022: ActEarly Holme Wood Project
August 2022: 12-point plan published to improve social mobility
April–June 2022: Place-based engagement in Keighley
July 2022: Launch of EALC initiative
6 Oct 2023: Learning Symposium on food insecurity
19 Oct 2023: Keighley awarded ‘Highly Commended’ at Celebrate as One Awards
24 Nov 2023 – 7 Oct 2024: Convening partnership meetings focused on:
- Supervised tooth brushing
- Community dental services
- School absences due to dental reasons
- Healthy Start vouchers
- Keighley Food Survey
Documents and Resources
You can download key documents related to the Keighley Act Locally programme below: