Bradford students take the ‘plight of homeless people to heart’

Two Bradford students, who have been highlighting homeless issues and encouraging their school and the local community to give to those in need within Bradford, visited a Food Bank that distributes vital food parcels across the area.
Samira Afzal and Ikra Ali, both 17, who are studying at Feversham College in Undercliffe, travelled to Bradford Metropolitan Food Bank, accompanied by Lib Dem MP David Ward.
Going since 2005, the charity run entirely by volunteers, supplies donated food to social services and other local charities such as the Keyhouse Project that deal directly with families and individuals who are in dire need of food provisions.
Samira and Ikra have already implemented their own initiatives to help the homeless, including organising a can drive where they collected 500 tins of food. The girls, who hope to set up their own charity, first became involved in homeless issues during a citizenship lesson in year 10.
Ikra explains: “We’ve already donated to different charities and we came here for some inspiration to help give us ideas for the work we’re doing”
Samira said:  “Britain in itself has so many problems, nobody here should be homeless, but as a tight community we should be there to help them.”
David told the Asian Sunday: “It’s important to come here to see what’s going on. People who are struggling, either the homeless, or those in pretty poor financial straits need to be fed. They are more or less catered for by the people of Bradford. It’s an example of the complicit heart that there is in Bradford.
“Samira and Ikra have really taken to heart the plight of homeless people to heart.”
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation in 2008/9 found there were 13 million people living in poverty in the UK, with 5.8m living below the poverty line. Government statistics showed homelessness had risen by 23% from autumn 2010 to autumn 2011.
Bradford Metropolitan Food Bank says a few years ago they supplied 70 bags a month, this has now increased to 400 bags.
The food bank is always in need of donations, to find out how visit: bradfordfoodbank.com