BRADFORD Community Kitchen which has been helping feel the homeless and needy since 2017 has been awarded the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service in this year's Queen's Birthday Honours.

Equivalent to an MBE, QVAS are the highest awards given to voluntary groups in the UK and they are awarded for life.

Abdul Satar, one of the founders of Bradford Community Kitchen, which since the beginning of Covid has been operating a seven-day-week food bank said it was a proud moment for everyone involved in the organisation which has huge support from businesses around Bradford.

Abdul said: "Bradford Community Kitchen foodbank is delighted to receive the Queen’s award for voluntary services 2022 and we would like to thank Her Majesty for recognising all the hard work our volunteers do seven days a week. This award is an MBE for voluntary groups and is for our past and present volunteers and trustees.

"We would also like to share this award with the people of Bradford especially the organisations who we work with: The Millside Centre, Hale project, Incommunities, Horton Housing and domestic violence charities like (Staying Put ) and (Doulas Bradford). For the people who have suffered domestic violence, please stay strong and stay positive. We are here to help you.

"We would also like to say to all the families that are using our services please stay positive we are here to help you.

"The trustees would like thank everyone for their love and support with Bradford Community Kitchen. And finally a big thank you to our partners this service would not be possible without your support.

Official Partner: Regal Food Products PLC. Affiliated Partners: Pakistan Catering, Kamrans Solicitors, Good & Co Solicitors, Gotyasize Fighting Fit, Sweet Centre est 1964, Rajas (Great Horton Road), Sunrise Catering, Manjaros, Offiice Interiors and LETZTALK Phones.

The the official letter from the Cabinet Office read: "Her Majesty The Queen has approved the QAVS National Assessment Committee’s recommendation that the volunteers of Bradford Community Kitchen should receive The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS) 2022. This represents a tremendous achievement and we hope that the group’s volunteers will feel immensely proud of it."

BCK was founded by Abdul Satar, Lesley Semmens and Anne-Marie Mitchell and until Covid was serving hundreds of freshly cooked hot meals every other Sunday from its site at the Millside Centre, Grattan Street.

The group concentrated on foodbank work when coronavirus struck and has been delivering food parcels daily to people's homes who could not buy food.

The group has also helped secure accommodation for a number of its homeless customers as well as provided clothing and mental health support.