A youth community which has seen thousands of Bradford’s young people inspired and empowered is celebrating its 20th birthday.
Sorted is a community working with young people across North Bradford to offer hope, encouragement, inspiration and purpose, for those primarily attending Immanuel College and Hanson Academy.
The Revd Canon Tracy Milne said: “2025 is proving to be a special year for the city and it’s a special year for Sorted too, as we celebrate our young people and the vibrancy they bring to Bradford.”
“In 20 years, we’ve seen them overcome all kinds of difficulties, we’ve seen them grow and take on the world with new confidence.
“It’s been a huge privilege to play our part.”
Revd Tracy began Sorted with husband Andy, a Church Army Captain.
She said: “We’re grateful to all those who believed in the vision we’d been given, for those who have backed us financially and especially our volunteers who week in, week out, make it possible.
“It really is a team effort.”
To mark the milestone, the Sorted team threw a reunion party, welcoming back former young people now all grown up.
A great time was had as they remembered over a pint and a hot dog what Sorted had meant to them, reconnecting with each other and being reminded of their faith journey.
For many years, Sorted (a shared project between the Diocese of Leeds and Church Army) has been recognised as a church in its own right, comprised of young people from six parishes, thanks to a Bishop’s Mission Order.
The charity also launched ‘Friends of Sorted’ during the party, raising money to continue the work into the future.
Revd Tracy said: “We are looking to find people who, like us, want better for the young people of Bradford and are prepared to spend a few pounds each month to make it happen.
“We don’t have a building of our own, for instance, and have to hire premises and there are ongoing staffing and equipment costs.
“Each summer we take a group of young people away on residential, providing a holiday which many can’t afford, and we’ve seen this can be really transformational as they escape the daily pressures for a while and enjoy a sense of freedom and space.
“In the past couple of years, this has taken place at Scargill House in the Dales.”
Every young person at Sorted knows that it is run by young people for young people, empowering and equipping them to make good choices.
This includes deciding which crafts to do or which sport to play on a Friday night; stocking up the tuck shop and counting the money; putting up equipment and clearing down the hall afterwards – all vital skills.
There is even the equivalent of a PCC (Parochial Church Council) called an SCC (Sorted Church Council) which includes several young people who discuss and decide issues such as trips out, fundraising and the annual residential.
Revd Tracy added: “It’s easy to feel isolated at a big school but we work with the wellbeing teams at Immanuel and Hanson to provide a much-needed listening ear for young people and a point of connection, where they can talk and meet others.
“From there, we invite young people to one of the busy Sorted social nights which happen every week in two venues, and it gives them somewhere warm and safe to socialize face-to-face.
“Being a young person is complex and stressful, very different from how it used to be.
“So, it’s important to give them opportunity to have fun, find genuine belonging, and to discover they matter.
“They know we are Christians and some of them inevitably want to ask the big questions of life and explore what they believe and we welcome that.
“Those conversations happen naturally and we invite those young people to meet on a Sunday night.
“Together, we discover what the Bible says about different topics, listen to worship songs, have space to pray and discuss what God might be saying to them.”
Learn more about Sorted here.