The Yorkshire Film Archive collects, preserves, and shows film made in, or about Yorkshire. Our collections are non-fiction, dating from the 1890s to the present day, and providing a rich and visually compelling record of all aspects of lives, cultures, landscape, industries, major events and everyday activities, many of which are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
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Bradford City: A Year of Healing
Numerous victims of the horrendous 1985 fire at Valley Parade manage to find positive outcomes to their suffering in this poignant film.
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Overview
This moving film displays Bradford’s extraordinary determination to carry on after the shocking fire at their football match in 1985. Throughout the film, victims are interviewed on their recollections of the event and the surprisingly positive outcomes of many of their ordeals. For example, many of the victims spent the aftermath of the fire together in hospital and formed lasting bonds.
The fire started at Bradford City’s Valley Parade stadium just before halftime on 11th May 1985. The fire killed 56 people and injured over 250. The day’s windy weather and wooden stand construction helped the fire spread quickly. Many fleeing victims died as they were unable to escape via locked doors and turnstiles near the stand. These horrific circumstances led to new health and safety measures being put in place at football matches.
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