A VOLUNTEER at a pay-as-you-feel canteen in Bradford is travelling the UK to document the good work done by similar cafes across the country.

Professional photographer Shy Burhan, of Shipley, is on a "journey of exploration" as she creates a body of work for an exhibition to be held at Saltaire Canteen next month.

The show, featuring pictures from various cafes across the UK, coincides with the first anniversary of the opening of the Victoria Road eatery.

The canteen serves food initially destined for the bin because it is approaching its sell or use by date, but is still fine to eat.

And instead of being told what the dish costs, customers are given an envelope which they can fill with whatever they think the meal was worth. They can also pay for their food by volunteering some time at the cafe.

Ms Burhan said: "There are about 130 of these cafes worldwide. They stop food going to landfill, cook it and let people pay what they feel for it.

"I volunteer at Saltaire Canteen because I was blown away by the whole idea. It is something I passionately believe in.

"It will be the first anniversary of the canteen. It is an established pay as you feel cafe and has a paid chef and a paid manager."

Ms Burhan's exhibition will feature photographs from pay-as-you-feel cafes in places including Brighton, Liverpool, Edinburgh and Birmingham.

"The exhibition will be of all my work on all the canteens I visit," said the photographer, who also works for Bradford Trident.

"For me it is like a dream. I passionately believe in what I am doing.

"People will be coming along from different parts of the country and from the different cafes. Everyone is welcome."

The cafes are part of the Real Junk Food Project, which a global and organic network of pay-as-you-feel cafes.

A sProject spokesman said: "We divert food destined for waste and use it to create delicious and healthy meals."

Saltaire Canteen is part of the Shipley Food Project, an organisation that aims to reduce food waste and poverty through social action and education. The food is donated by market traders and other food producers.

Speaking at the opening of the cafe last year, organiser Angus McNab said: "It is overwhelming how well people are supporting what we're doing. Nobody cares if you are not going to pay or not, which will help some poorer people."

The exhibition is on December 4 from 7pm to 9pm.