New family sculpture symbolises thousands of Better Start Bradford families
12 June 2025
A stone ‘family’ sculpture has been unveiled at Bowling Park on Wednesday 11 June 2025 to represent 40,000 plus people that have been supported by Better Start Bradford over the last ten years. It is the last of many beautiful outdoor features of the Better Place project, one of the programme’s 20+ projects.
The family, which has been sculpted by hand from limestone by talented sculptor Dan Jones, features two parents, one holding a baby, while the other cuddles their toddler, together with Little Pickle Prickle hedgehog – a character featured in Better Place nature books.
Dan proudly unveiled his masterpiece accompanied by live music by Omotola and Friends and alongside Better Start Bradford Director, Gill Thornton, Better Place Project Manager, Adele Adams and Gill Hart of The National Lottery Community Fund, who have funded Better Start Bradford, together with four other initiatives from 2015 to 2025 via its A Better Start £215 million National Lottery programme.
Gill Thornton, Director, Better Start Bradford said:
This is a very emotional moment, and we are incredibly proud to unveil our Family Sculpture at Bowling Park this afternoon. This wonderful sculpture is a permanent recognition of over 40,000 people (expectant parents, families and their children aged 0-3) who have been involved in over 20 Better Start Bradford projects in the last ten years.
The sculpture will stand proud overlooking families with young children for many generations to come, who will continue to enjoy and explore the magical areas of outdoor play that our Better Place project have installed at Bowling Park and all across the Better Start Bradford area.
Adele Adams, Better Place Project Manager said:
This special sculpture is a heartfelt tribute to the thousands of families who have been a part of the Better Start Bradford journey - whether expecting a baby or navigating life with a new little one.
Rooted right in the heart of one of our beautiful outdoor spaces, it celebrates the energy, support and strength shared by families, friends and the whole community and the unity of partners, peers and people who have shaped the Better Start Bradford programme together.
Dan Jones, sculptor said:
It’s been wonderful collaborating with Better Start Bradford and Better Place. I have been given the creative freedom to produce the sculptures after consultation with the local community around ideas for what they would like to see.
This family sculpture is the final piece and represents those families that have been supported through the many projects and it’s been brought to a place where the Better Place project have made lots of changes to bring families with 0-3s to enjoy and explore the outdoors, so it is very fitting that it should watch over those families it represents.
When I installed the piece, it felt poignant that I installed it with my 80-year-old dad and my son present – a real family affair.
Better Place have been working their magic across the Better Start Bradford area of Bowling and Barkerend, Bradford Moor and Little Horton and have invested over £2million so far to improve the environment and outdoor play spaces for families with 0-3s since 2016.
To find out more about Better Start Bradford and the impact of the 20 plus projects that have supported expectant parents and families with 0-3s between 2015-2025, visit https://www.betterstartbradford.org.uk/our-projects/
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