A NEW initiative in Bradford is using arts and culture to transform how ethnic minority women deal with death and bereavement, reflecting a shift in approaching end-of-life care among diverse communities.
The project brings together local organisations and healthcare experts to address the long-standing inequalities faced by disadvantaged women from minority backgrounds in accessing hospice and palliative care services, a palliative care doctor and academic who leads the project said.
Dr Jamilla Hussain told Eastern Eye, “As an academic, I dedicate half of my time to research, focusing on inequalities at the end of life, with a special emphasis on ethnic inequalities and racism.
“When I began working in Bradford, I visited community groups to understand the issues surrounding inequalities faced by ethnic minority groups. Our research shows that in palliative and end-of-life care, people from ethnic minority groups and those from deprived backgrounds are less likely to access our services.
“They are also less likely to report satisfaction with their end-of-life care and are more likely to die in hospital. Understanding why this happens and how we can support them is crucial.
“In 2022, we collaborated with WomenZone and the Leap, a creative people and places programme in Bradford, to apply for a small Dying Matters grant from Hospice UK, a national charity.
“We organised four workshops with women from a particularly deprived area of Bradford. The group consisted of slightly older women, though there was a range of ages, all living in a very deprived area. The women already met every Thursday, so we arranged to join them for four consecutive Thursday mornings, conducting hour-long to an hour-and-ahalf workshops.”
Sabir Musaji, development manager at the Leap, said, “We know access and quality of care at end of life is not equal and fair. We need to ensure those voices and stories are heard and that services meet communities where they are at.
“In the first set of four workshops, we explored their experiences of death, dying and grief. The women shared numerous stories and discussed issues around accessing healthcare.
“We also talked about how Pakistani women support each other and how the community could better support its members. This was particularly important as it’s a migrant community with different generations, where people are moving away and dynamics are shifting.”
Shy Burhan
Hussain, who works with Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said that during the first set of workshops, they identified significant knowledge gaps regarding end-of-life care and services.
“For the new series, we decided to understand what information the women wanted to learn more about, and arranged for specialists to come to them. This approach was crucial because while these women faced many barriers to accessing support services, they were comfortable attending this group. We met them in their preferred space, where they felt at ease among friends. This was a key factor in the project’s success,” she added.
“We began with a priority-setting workshop to identify their learning needs. The women, who were predominantly Muslim, identified four main areas of interest – Islamic teachings about death and dying; how to support bereaved people; available palliative care services in Bradford; and benefits and financial support.
“Through the initial workshops, they realised they had different understandings of religious matters. They wanted to learn more about what Islam says regarding their roles in death, dying and grief, particularly concerning the role and responsibilities of daughters-in-law. We invited specialist chaplains from the hospital to lead this session.
“We also brought in specialist grief counsellors who could speak Punjabi or Urdu. We organised different sessions focusing on various aspects – how to support someone who has lost a child; how to support those who have lost siblings or family members; and the importance of friendship. We also discussed pre-grief – the complex emotional process that begins even before a death occurs.”
According to Hussain, the workshops were successful, and the women enjoyed them. After the first set of meetings, the women established their own monthly bereavement support group. “They realised they had never discussed these important topics before and wanted to continue having a space for such conversations,” she said.
An artist was present at each workshop, using artsbased methods to help women discuss sensitive topics. It led to the development of an exhibition, and for Bradford 2025 (City of Culture), they will display it during Dying Matters week in May. The exhibition will then tour different women’s groups.
Dr Jamilla Hussain
The UK will observe Dying Matters awareness week 2025 from May 5-11, with the theme – the culture of dying matters – encouraging communities to start conversations about death in ways that suit them.
Hussain added, “The project has revealed multiple barriers that Pakistani women face in accessing end-of-life services. These include lack of awareness about available services, cultural knowledge gaps, language barriers, and experiences of racism within healthcare.
“The women also face multiple forms of discrimination – sexism as women, racism as Pakistanis, classism due to poverty, and some face ableism due to disabilities. These intersecting challenges make it difficult for them to advocate for themselves, and some have internalised the idea that they don’t deserve the same quality of care as others.”
Hussain has implemented various changes at both organisational and community levels. In the hospital, they are working on short, medium, and long-term goals. Short-term goals include improving facilities for wudu (ablution) on wards. Medium-term goals involve reassessing visiting policies to better accommodate large families. Long-term goals focus on incorporating community voices into hospital management and operational plans.
The project has also influenced national policy. Hussain presented evidence to parliament regarding the assisted dying bill, sharing feedback from these community groups. This led to a proposed amendment based on their input.
A workshop funded by a Dying Matters grant
The recent unexpected death of her father in Pakistan highlighted the contrast between death in traditional settings and the medical-led approach in the West. This experience reinforced her belief that death was not merely a medical event but a social one, she said.
Asked about the role of arts in the project, the doctor said, “The arts-based approach has been particularly effective. In the first set of workshops, we worked with a poet who initially used familiar craft materials before gradually introducing poetry writing.
“In the latest workshops, photographer Shy Burhan used culturally appropriate methods, including traditional elements like sharing tea and using a bucha (a decorative cloth) for writing thoughts.”
Burhan explained that her workshop design incorporated creative activities to help participants express their feelings about different aspects of grieving, and said the process was mutually inspiring for both herself and the participants.
Rubina Khalid
There are plans to expand the project to other Pakistani women’s groups and Bangladeshi women’s groups, as they likely share similar learning needs.
The Leap has also expressed interest in developing similar programmes for Pakistani men, recognising that their experiences around death and grief differ from that of women.
Rubina Khalid, chief executive at WomenZone said, “We had previously delivered a project at WomenZone, funded by Hospice UK, to understand how Pakistani communities, particularly women, cope with the death of a loved one.
“This time, we partnered with Bradford Leap and NHS palliative care to bring together diverse organisations across the ‘death system’ in Bradford. The aim was to facilitate direct discussions with women about their experiences and foster network/relationship building.”
A yellow weather warning for thunderstorms has been issued by the Met Office for large parts of southern England, the Midlands, and south Wales, with the alert in effect from 09:00 to 18:00 BST on Saturday, 8 June.
According to the UK’s national weather agency, intense downpours could bring 10–15mm of rainfall in under an hour, while some areas may see as much as 30–40mm over a few hours due to successive storms. Frequent lightning, hail, and gusty winds are also expected to accompany the thunderstorms.
The Met Office has cautioned that these conditions could lead to travel disruption. Roads may be affected by surface water and spray, increasing the risk of delays for motorists. Public transport, including train services, could also face interruptions. Additionally, short-term power outages and damage to buildings from lightning strikes are possible in some locations.
This weather warning for thunderstorms comes after what was the driest spring in over a century. England recorded just 32.8mm of rain in May, making it the driest on record for more than 100 years. Now, forecasters suggest that some areas could receive more rainfall in a single day than they did during the entire month of May.
The thunderstorms are expected to subside from the west during the mid-afternoonMet Office
June has so far brought cooler, wetter, and windier conditions than usual, following a record-breaking dry period. The Met Office noted that thunderstorms are particularly difficult to predict because they are small-scale weather systems. As a result, while many areas within the warning zone are likely to experience showers, some locations may avoid the storms entirely and remain dry.
The thunderstorms are expected to subside from the west during the mid-afternoon, reducing the risk in those areas as the day progresses.
Other parts of the UK are also likely to see showers on Saturday, but these are not expected to be as severe as those in the south.
Yellow warnings are the lowest level issued by the Met Office but still indicate a risk of disruption. They are based on both the likelihood of severe weather and the potential impact it may have on people and infrastructure. Residents in affected areas are advised to stay updated and take precautions where necessary.
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Foreign secretary David Lammy. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
FOREIGN SECRETARY David Lammy arrived in Delhi on Saturday (7) for a two-day visit aimed at strengthening economic and security ties with India, following the landmark free trade agreement finalised last month.
During his visit, Lammy will hold wide-ranging talks with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar and is scheduled to meet prime minister Narendra Modi, as well as commerce minister Piyush Goyal.
According to a statement, the discussions will focus on bilateral ties in areas of trade, defence and security, building on the ambitious free trade agreement (FTA) finalised on May 6.
The FTA represents the biggest deal the UK has finalised since leaving the European Union. Under the agreement, 99 per cent of Indian exports will be exempt from tariffs, while making it easier for British firms to export whisky, cars and other products to India.
"India was one of my first visits as Foreign Secretary, and since then has been a key partner in the delivery of our Plan for Change," Lammy said. "Signing a free trade agreement is just the start of our ambitions - we're building a modern partnership with India for a new global era. We want to go even further to foster an even closer relationship and cooperate when it comes to delivering growth, fostering innovative technology, tackling the climate crisis and delivering our migration priorities."
The minister will also welcome progress on migration partnerships, including ongoing efforts to safeguard citizens and secure borders in both countries. Migration remains a top priority for the government, with Lammy focused on working with international partners to strengthen the UK's border security.
Business investment will also feature prominently in the discussions, with Lammy set to meet leading Indian business figures to explore opportunities for greater Indian investment in Britain.
The current investment relationship already supports over 600,000 jobs across both countries, with more than 950 Indian-owned companies operating in the UK and over 650 British companies in India. For five consecutive years, India has been the UK's second-largest source of investment projects.
The talks will also address regional security concerns, with India expected to raise the issue of cross-border terrorism from Pakistan with the foreign secretary. The UK played a role in helping to de-escalate tensions during last month's military conflict between India and Pakistan, following the deadly Pahalgam terrorist attack in Kashmir.
Lammy had previously visited Islamabad from May 16, during which he welcomed the understanding between India and Pakistan to halt military actions.
His visit is also expected to lay the groundwork for a possible trip to New Delhi by prime minister Keir Starmer. This is Lammy's second visit to India as foreign secretary, following his inaugural trip in July when he announced the UK-India Technology Security Initiative focusing on collaboration in telecoms security and emerging technologies.
(with inputs from PTI)
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Seema Misra was wrongly imprisoned in 2010 after being accused of stealing £75,000 from her Post Office branch in Surrey, where she was the subpostmistress. (Photo credit: Getty Images)
SEEMA MISRA, a former sub-postmistress from Surrey who was wrongly jailed in the Post Office scandal, told MPs that her teenage son fears she could be sent to prison again.
Misra served five months in jail in 2010 after being wrongly convicted of theft. She said she was pregnant at the time, and the only reason she did not take her own life was because of her unborn child, The Times reported.
Speaking at a meeting in parliament on Tuesday, she said, “It affects our whole family. My 13-year-old younger son said, ‘Mummy, if the Post Office put you back in prison don’t kill yourself — you didn’t kill yourself [when you were in prison] because I was in your tummy. What if they do it again?’”
Misra, who wore an electronic tag when giving birth, supported a campaign to change the law around compensation for miscarriages of justice.
In 2014, the law was changed under Lord Cameron, requiring victims to prove their innocence beyond reasonable doubt to receive compensation. Campaigners say this has resulted in only 6.6 per cent of claims being successful, down from 46 per cent, and average payouts dropping from £270,000 to less than £70,000.
Sir David Davis called the rule change an “institutional miscarriage of justice” during prime minister’s questions and urged the government to act.
Dame Vera Baird, interim head of the Criminal Cases Review Commission, has also announced a full review of the body’s operations, following years of criticism over its performance.
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Habibur Masum pleaded guilty at Bradford Crown Court to manslaughter and possession of a bladed article. (Photo: West Yorkshire Police)
A MAN has admitted killing his wife as she pushed their baby in a pram through Bradford city centre, but has denied her murder.
Habibur Masum, 26, pleaded guilty at Bradford Crown Court to manslaughter and possession of a bladed article. He denied the charge of murder. The victim, 27-year-old Kulsuma Akter, was stabbed multiple times on 6 April last year. The baby was unharmed.
Masum, of Leamington Avenue, Burnley, was remanded in custody by Justice Cotter and is due to stand trial for murder on Monday.
He also denied two charges of assault, one count of making threats to kill and one charge of stalking. During a previous hearing, the court was told those charges relate to incidents over two days in November 2023.
The stalking charge alleges Masum tracked Akter between November and April, found her location at a safe house, sent threatening messages including photos and videos, loitered near her temporary residence, and caused her alarm or distress and fear of violence.
Akter was attacked at around 15:20 BST on Westgate near Drewton Road. She later died in hospital. Masum was arrested in Aylesbury after a three-day manhunt by West Yorkshire Police.
Her mother, Monwara Begum, speaking from Bangladesh last year, said: "I am in shock. She was my youngest daughter and I adored her greatly... The only day I didn't hear from her was the day she was attacked."
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Bags of rubbish and bins overflow on the pavement in the Selly Oak area on June 02, 2025 in Birmingham, England.(Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
MEMBERS of the Unite union voted by 97 per cent on a 75 per cent turn out in favour of continuing the industrial action in Birmingham, which began intermittently in January before becoming an all-out stoppage in March.
At the centre of the dispute is a pay row between the cash-strapped city council and workers belonging to Unite which says some staff employed by the council stand to lose £8,000 per year under a planned restructuring of the refuse service.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said a proposal by Birmingham City Council was not in line with an offer discussed in May in talks under a conciliation service.
She accused the Labour "government commissioners and the leaders of the council" of watering it down.
"It beggars belief that a Labour government and Labour council is treating these workers so disgracefully," she said. "Unite will not allow these workers to be financially ruined –- the strikes will continue for as long as it takes."
Although non-unionised workers have been collecting bins during the strike the industrial action continues to cause disruption to rubbish removal resulting in concerns about rats and public health.
The dispute in the city of over a million people, known for its industrial past and multicultural character, is an illustration of the budgetary pressures facing many other local authorities across the country.
A council spokesperson denied there had been any watering down of the deal.
"This is a service that needs to be transformed to one that citizens of Birmingham deserve and the council remains committed to resolving this dispute, the spokesperson said.
"We have made a fair and reasonable offer that we have asked Unite to put to their members and we are awaiting their response.”
Council defends ‘ambitious’ vision for city, reports LDRS
In another development, Birmingham council has defended an “ambitious” plan for the city’s future despite the vision being slammed as “devoid of reality”.
The local authority’s corporate plan sets out the priorities for Birmingham over the next three years and how it intends to overcome the issues which have recently plagued the council.
In a bid to make the city fairer, greener and healthier, the Labour-run council’s plan explores how it can tackle critical challenges such as housing need, health inequalities, unemployment and child poverty.
Bags of rubbish and bins overflow on the pavement in the Sparkbrook area on June 02, 2025 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
But the council’s vision came under fire during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday (3) with Conservative group leader Robert Alden pointing to its aspiration of improving street cleaning and waste services.
He went on to say the city’s bins service was currently not operating properly as the ongoing bins strike continues to take its toll.
“This plan is devoid of the reality of the situation the council finds itself in,” he argued. “That’s a fundamental problem as to why it will fail.
“Residents expect the city to balance the books and to clean the streets – this corporate plan doesn’t do it.
Councillor Alden added: “A lot of officer time and resources have been spent producing yet more colourful, lovely dossiers to hand out and claim that the future will be different.”
Acknowledging the financial turmoil which has plagued the authority, council leader John Cotton said the Labour administration had made significant progress in “fixing the foundations”.
He continued: “Fixing those foundations is essential if we’re going to deliver on ambitions for this city – and we should make no apology for being ambitious for Birmingham and its people.
“This is exactly what this corporate plan is about – it’s about looking forward to the future.”
Cotton went on to say the plan sets out the council’s “high level ambitions” and “major targets” for the city over the next few years.
“It’s also underpinned by a lot of detailed policy and strategy that’s come before this cabinet previously,” he said.
“It’s important not to just look at one document – we need to look at this being the guiding document that governs all the other work that this council is undertaking.”
Deputy leader Coun Sharon Thompson added: “We have to be ambitious for the residents of Birmingham – that is we are committed to doing whilst also fixing some of the issues which opposition [councillors] have highlighted.
“The world is changing, innovation is coming upon us and we cannot let Birmingham be left behind.”
She added that having a Labour government working with the council would “make a difference” when it came to tackling some of the city’s most pressing issues compared to the previous 13 years.
Birmingham City Council also has plans to transform its waste collection service in a bid to boost the efficiency and reliability of bin collections.
But the bins strike dispute between itself and Unite the union remains unresolved, with striking workers raising concerns about pay while the council’s leadership has repeatedly insisted that a “fair and reasonable” offer has been made.
The all-out citywide strike has been running since March and has attracted unwanted headlines from across the world, with tales of ‘cat-sized rats’ and rubbish mountains making headlines.