The Bradford Soup Run, started 25 years ago by committed Christian John Tempest, is non-denominational, but there are rules: no drink, no drugs, and no weapons.

Admission to the regular Friday night servings of rolls, stew, biscuits, fruit and refreshments, near Nelson Street, is based on visitors repsecting the rules.

These days, the Soup Run has a bouncer on hand to defuse potentially explosive situations. If that doesn’t work, John calls the police. He said: “I had to do that recently. Two people took exception to the rules that everybody else was abiding by. They declined to leave.

“In the last year, we have had quite a few people from Eastern Europe. The vast majority are simply looking for work and have realised that the streets of Bradford are not paved with gold.”

This Christmas falls on a normal Soup Run day, so it will be business as usual, but a little earlier at 4pm.

“Last year, we had 120 people. This year, we are aiming for 140 or more. It’s getting mind-blowing,” said John.

“The menu will be a range of fruit juices, vegetable soup with soft white rolls, chicken supreme, gateau, Christmas cake, Wensleydale cheese, refreshments and biscuits.

“And Santa will be bringing some presents for everybody,” he added.

The Soup Run receives no public funding – that’s John’s policy. He is, however, a tireless fundraiser. Over the past ten years, the Soup Run has received £84,000 from the Sovereign Health Care Charitable Trust. He estimates that what he provides costs about £300 or more a week.

The Sunbridge Road Mission has been going for 120 years. It was set up in 1889 by John Bertram Sleight, to alleviate social distress in the locality. Feeding the poor and homeless has been a weekly event for the last eight years.

Pastor Peter Dyson said: “Real Hope, the Wednesday night meal, started in December, 2001. The cost of this is about £3,000 a year. Other churches give us food, and members of the Mission give clothes.

“We’ll be serving a Christmas meal before December 23. Our helpers are having a break on December 23 and 30.”

Helpers include an Eastern European couple who translate on Wednesday nights and assist with rehabilitation in the Thursday night Team Challenge programme.

“This is a Christian rehabilitation programme to help girls come off the street. There are some wonderful stories of people who have gone through that,” Pastor Dyson added.

But, as he emphasised, to be fed is not necessary to belong to any religious faith. The Mission’s self-imposed task is to help people in need, not recruit members.

Bradford Day Shelter in Edmund Street has been offering a daytime refuge to the homeless and people living in sub-standard accommodation for about 30 years.

It consists of four terraced houses owned by Horton Housing Association.

Part of the Day Shelter is a well-appointed training complex that offers instruction in IT, cooking, art, English and money management.

Jimmy Greenwood, who worked in the kitchen at Salts Mill Diner for six years, has just joined, teaching cookery.

He said: “It’s really good to see the change in people after just a few weeks. They come here to build themselves up again, to regain their confidence.”

The Day Shelter next door is managed by Matthew Knight. He said the 70-or-so people who visit during the day either can’t cope or have lost the ability to. It will be open throughout the festive period from 9am to 4pm. Visitors will get a free lunch, socks and gloves and a carol service.

Like the Bradford Soup Run and Sunbridge Road Mission, the Day Shelter has had to adjust to new clientele.

Matthew said: “This year, we have migrant workers from Europe who are unemployed, many of whom have no recourse to public funds. All those casual cash-in-hand jobs have dried up. We now employ a multi-lingual translator.”

If you would like to volunteer at the Day Shelter, write to 16-20 Edmund Street, Bradford BD5 0BH. Donations payable to Horton Housing Association, also at that address. The Soup Run can be contacted on (01274) 724212 or 07866 459148.