Residents of a transformed housing estate have shared their stories of living in North Huddersfield in a new book.
17 Years tells the story of the controversial regeneration of Deighton and Brackenhall areas of Huddersfield, which had been long blighted by crime, poverty and unemployment.
The book written in residents’ own words features a chapter on various stages of the regeneration, which began in the 1990s and included the demolision of a large area of housing.
The work of the Deighton and Brackenhall Initiative — or DBI as it is known to many, has also been focused upon in the book, with successes including a new community centre, sports facilities and children’s nursery.
Brian Lewis and Dr Carrie Birch have overseen the creation of the book alongside Dani Maloney, of Active Ashbrow.
Brian said: “We met with residents who had grown up in the area and asked them to write down what makes them proud of where they live. If we had gone in and said, we are going to write a book everyone clams up and we don’t get anywhere.
“This way everyone writes down their life stories and we used sections in the book grouped around a topic.
“The transformation of the area is documented in the lives of the people who lived and work here.
“The housing changes have clearly had a huge impact and the book also features the changes in social housing.
“We have come away with admiration for what those people had achieved through their own endeavour.
“DBI had been set up to stop the downward trend of Deighton and Brackenhall through a radical local agenda of regeneration of people and place.”
Dani Malony added: “We have involved people who are now in their 20s to those in their 90s and have created a living history of the transformation and an evaluation of the area.”
And it’s not too late to get involved and share your memories and old photos of the area.
Dani added: “After 17 years the Deighton and Brackenhall Initiative (DBI) has come to an end.
“The DBI is important not only for the long-term regeneration project that it undertook, but also for its unique principles and the high priority that was placed upon being accountable to residents of the area.”
The DBI invites residents, new and old, to join them on Saturday November 1 to share their memories of growing up, working and living in Brackenhall.
The event will include a bouncy castle, buffet, raffle and tombola at Northfield Hall from 1pm to 4.30pm
To obtain a free copy of the book call 01484 221859.
