An innovative project for homeless people in Bradford, which was set up with money seized from criminals, has been hailed a success.

West Yorkshire Police gave cash it recovered through the Proceeds of Crime Act to the Inn Churches Shelter Project which has provided emergency accommodation for the homeless for seven nights a week at a different church each night throughout February.

The project saw each church, staffed by volunteers, host up to 16 men and women on a weekly rotation, providing them with a hot dinner and breakfast.

A total of 25 churches and 95 volunteers from across the Bradford district were involved.

The Reverend Canon Sam Randall, of the Bradford Diocese, initiated the project.

He said: “It’s gone better than I could have dared to hope. We provided more than 130 beds and saw about 36 different people come through the doors.

“The police were hugely supportive, bringing people in themselves, and even donated cash they had retrieved from the proceeds of crime.

“We had referrals from professional and voluntary agencies and it’s been a real indication that the present provision is inadequate.

“It was wonderful to see Christians from so many different traditions working together so positively.

“Several of the homeless, completely of their own volition, started going to church – a couple of them even making a Christian commitment.

“Lives have been really changed – the scheme’s had a huge impact on both the volunteers and the homeless people.”

Cash provided by West Yorkshire Police was used to transport the beds and equipment from church to church.

The Rev Randall said: “Most of us have no concept of what it is to be homeless, but every volunteer has been changed by meeting these special men and women.

“Jesus said, ‘whatever you have done to the least of these, you’ve done it unto me’. That’s our reason for Inn Churches and our hope is that this is just the beginning of ongoing provision for those who find themselves on the street.

“We’re now working longer term with a destitute asylum seeker and five young men who we’ve met through this project.

“But the truly heartbreaking aspect was having to turn some people away as we only had so much capacity.”

It is hoped next year the project will be extended to three months and work has begun on setting up a long-term shelter.