Yorkshire Water agrees £200k Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture legacy sponsorship

Yorkshire Water has provided £200,000 sponsorship towards Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture legacy. 

To recognise the important part Bradford has played in the history of the company, and to continue Yorkshire Water's partnership with the City of Culture, the sponsorship has been agreed to ensure the impact of the designation continues in the city.  

Lee Otter, head of land and property at Yorkshire Water, said: " Our sponsorship of the Bradford City of Culture legacy is demonstration of our continued commitment to the people of Bradford and will ensure cultural pursuits remain on offer for residents and visitors alike." 

Dan Bates, Executive Director of Bradford Culture Company said "We are thrilled to have the support of Yorkshire Water in this important legacy year for Bradford District. This investment will support us in our work with communities and cultural organisations in the region to ensure that the momentum of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture continues well into the future." 

Alongside this support, Yorkshire Water remains firmly committed to contributing to the broader Bradford economy and has been invited to join the Building Bradford Supply Chains Board and recognises the valuable role it can play in creating opportunities for local businesses and strengthening regional supply chains.  

As one of the region’s major employers, Yorkshire Water is also committed to supporting Bradford’s workforce through a strong focus on apprenticeships and skills development. By creating pathways into employment and helping people build rewarding careers, these programmes contribute to the shared ambition of delivering a lasting and inclusive legacy for the city.  

Yorkshire Water is set to begin a move to a new office, at Leeds Valley Park which has been refurbished and redesigned to suit the needs of the water company, in September. The new premises will allow the company to have a more centralised location in the county, as well as enabling colleagues to work more collaboratively to improve service and operations. Activity will continue at the Buttershaw site while equipment is transported to the new office and other satellite sites across Yorkshire.  

The Buttershaw site has been home to Yorkshire Water since 1989 and will be put up for sale in the coming weeks. Yorkshire Water has been working hard to ensure that the site attracts interest for future development quickly. Yorkshire Water has been working closely with the council and a neighbouring business, which is also in the process of selling its site, to ensure the best chance for successful early redevelopment.  

Lee added: “Bradford has been home to our business for many years and leaving the city has not been a decision we’ve taken lightly. However, all of our service delivery centre teams will be moving to our new home at Leeds Valley Park under one roof at the centre of our county, rather than split across three buildings as they have been at Buttershaw.“  

Yorkshire Water remains committed to Bradford and is maintaining its office on the edge of the district in Thornbury which houses 600 people, many of whom live in Bradford, as well as further operational sites across the district.