Recent Work
Check out what we have been up to recently…
Sunday 27th September 2026
A steady night tonight but we could feel the chill in the air so the team in the van were exceptionally busy and one of our volunteers even remarked possibly the busiest night we have had this year, lots of people asking for warm clothes and we completely ran out of sleeping bags and blankets, and those we had to turn away we could see the disappointment in their faces, this just gives us a sinking feeling. The first of evenings this year where we could see the evening turn darker a lot sooner, we know much harder evenings a head.
A individual we have supported for many years, is gravelly ill and sadly has only a few weeks left, he came out specially to see us to thank us for being part of his life for the last 10 years for supporting him through his street life, he felt disappointment with himself that he was given opportunities of being rehoused but just didn’t cope with the commitment of a home, he has no immediate family and the homeless community is his family, we don’t judge him for choosing this life as for some it’s the only way they cope and survive with life, the conversation was one of the saddest we have ever had and we took sometime with him to reflect on our journey. He looked extremely thin and we provided him with whatever he asked for, he’s will soon be provided a hospice bed, we have promised to visit and keep in touch with him for whatever number weeks he has left, over the years we have witnessed a number of homeless community pass away always saddened us but this gentleman holds a bit of a special place in our hearts. He shed a few tears as said goodbye and walked away. It was a really tough night and the sadness came away with us as we returned home.
We will keep this post short but as per usual all our activities of support continued as it does each week.
We would also like to thank every organisation and individuals that support us week in week out to make each week possible.
Tonight our thoughts remain with our friend.
Sunday 20th September 2026
A little quieter than last week, at 150 people supported last night, we came across 49 as we walked around the city centre. These individuals do not come down to the static kitchen as some don’t like being around crowds and some don’t like waiting in long queues. The guys we came across on the walk around wanted to grab some food and get back to their sleeping places.
Sadly, we came across an individual who shared his story of becoming homeless. After losing both his mother and father, he had to return their flat to the local authority, losing everything in the process. He is now waiting to be rehoused, but he mentioned he is low priority, so this could take years.
It’s been some years since I have been part of the walk-around team, and even now, we have a static place to set up a full kitchen. I couldn’t believe from an early years where 49 may have been the total number for the whole night that we came across, but to have 101 attendees at the kitchen and then to deal with 49 on the walk around with just four volunteers felt a bit overwhelming at times as they crowd around you for food.
This week, we were asked to support a young lady with a baby and household items: a washing machine and a TV. It’s always humbling to support people when they are housed and rebuilding their lives.
We continue to support the homeless shelters and the B&Bs with food donations across Leeds and Bradford. Some of these shelters we have supported for over ten years, completely down to our dedicated team that we are able to reach so many people.
We were really pleased that we were able to support four food banks and community hubs with donations of much-needed tinned food, pasta, rice, and packed food.
With the support of the supermarkets, local businesses, and community support, we can’t do what we do and touch so many lives.
Steve for cooking a spicy bean stew as well as donating non-perishable food.
Thank you to Jo and family for donating homemade cakes which the guys love.
Thank you to Dawn for keeping the guys supplied with chocolate tiffin it’s a real treat for them every week.
Thank you Sharon for your continued support and donations of cake.
Thank you to Lucinda, Will, and Joanna for joining our baking team; everyone really enjoyed the cakes.
Thank you to Kirsten for the custard, another favourite that goes down well with the lovely cake.
We are also grateful for the continued support of food donations from Bradford Hindu Council and Leeds Hindu Forum for support hot meals and snack bags; this really helps us and the guys we meet walking around the city. The snack bags contain non-perishable food that the guys can save in the backpack should there be a day they can’t access a meal.
Thank you to Ramgahria Sikh Temple for donating an additional meal, which helped us support an additional homeless hostel.
As always, thank you to Punjabi Heaven for donating curry and rice, really warm and enjoyed by all.
Thank you to Singh Restaurant for helping us support the homeless hostels and the B&B’s accommodating our homeless community.
A special thank you to our friends at Simon on the Streets for donating us brand new much needed trainers, really appreciated your support.
Once again thank to everyone that’s donate to Homeless Hampers.
We were really short on volunteers tonight, but the team always pulls together to make things work, and no one walks away hungry or without essentials they may require.
Sunday 1st March 2026
The queue was longer tonight. We support 167 people. A lady who visits us every week arrived looking exhausted. She had been walking around with her large, heavy suitcase containing all her worldly possessions, searching for a safe place to sleep. She was cold. We know that this has been a long and cold winter, but this year the wet weather has added extra challenges. Our volunteers in the van worked tirelessly to provide warm and dry clothes. We came away with empty boxes that we will refill for next week.
We have had an extremely busy few weeks. We have taken several referrals for furniture and appliances. We have been able to support several people, including families, with furniture and appliances to set up their new homes.
This week we were asked to support with extra food items for the breakfast club. Due to winter provisions, the breakfast club is having to open seven days a week so our rough sleepers can.
Some of the food banks we support have seen a drop in donations from the start of the new year. We continue to do what we can to support.
We have provided clean bedding and towels into the hostels, which people have really appreciated.
We know we haven’t been as active on social media. We just had a busy few weeks. We are pleased to say that some people have been provided homes, but equally, the demand on the charity increases to provide furniture and appliances.
We are grateful to everyone that’s contacted us to donate household items, but at the moment our biggest requirement is for washing machines.
We like to take the time to thank everyone that supports each week.
Catherine and Margaret for cooking a range of casseroles, chillies, and pasta.
Thank you to Dawn, Vivian, Jo, Saul, Elodie, Linz, Sharon, Kirsten, and Sue for their lovely range of home baking.
Thank you to Singh’s for your ongoing support with hot meals that help us support the hostels.
Thank you to Punjabi Heaven for providing hot meals.
Thank you to Steve once again for always ensuring we have a vegetarian option to offer.
Thank you to Aaron and 300 Degrees Coffee for donating cake and pecan slices.
Thank you to Dina, Mahendra, Meena, and Janti, the meals included a hot dish, crisps, a drink, snacks, and fruit.
Thank you to Janet for being with the charity from the start and still supporting with donations of new hoodies, hats, socks, and boxer shorts.
Thank you to West Yorkshire police for your presence on a Sunday evening to keep us and service users safe.
Thank you to the wonderful team of volunteers we have and for giving us your precious time 7 days a week.
Thank you to everyone that continues to support Homeless Hampers, we can’t do what we do without your support.
This is a bit of teamwork over the last few weeks.
Team Hampers 
Sunday 11th January 2026
The weather has been quite unpredictable, so to ensure the safety of our volunteers, we decided to reduce the scale of our outreach. Although we considered cancelling, we knew people would be waiting for us, regardless of the weather. As expected, it wasn’t as busy as our usual Sunday night, but 82 people came to us for a meal. This week, we pre-packed meals, including a main course, dessert, and a hot drink. We explained the provisions due to the weather, encouraging people to return to their hostels, tents, or any dry places, and we wanted to get out of the wet and cold as soon as possible. People were incredibly grateful for our support, as we could have easily cancelled. With 11 local volunteers, we managed the queue efficiently, ensuring no one left hungry.
It’s been a busy week as we’ve been helping arrange additional winter beds. We provided furniture and a washing machine for a new ladies’ house and will continue supporting with food donations so they can cook meals. Visiting the house was heartwarming, seeing the excitement on their faces and hearing them talk about their future.
We donated breakfast items to St Anne’s, ensuring our street homeless can access a hot breakfast. Given the wet and cold conditions, we provided shower gels and washing powder so people can enjoy a hot shower at the resource centre and wash their clothes and sleep bags.
We would like to express our gratitude to our local authority for their tireless efforts to get as many of our homeless community into shelters, even if temporary. It’s important that people are off the streets, dry, and warm until the weather improves. We understand resources are limited, but working together for the good of our community is the only way we can make a difference.
Once again, we thank everyone who supports us each week. We are grateful to our selfless volunteers for dedicating their valuable time to make a difference in the lives we touch.
Homeless Hampers
Sunday 4th January 2026
Tonight was a particularly challenging night. A young lady we have supported for several years was in tears, unable to feel her hands and feet. When she took off her gloves, her hands were red, raw, and swollen from the freezing weather. We wrapped her in extra coats, blankets, and thermal blankets, and made her drink hot drinks, but nothing seemed to warm her up. We tried to arrange a winter bed for her, but she couldn’t wait for out-of-hours services to call us back. It was a tough night, and we could feel the frostbite on our own hands. It’s been a while since we’ve experienced a night as cold as tonight, possibly one of our coldest. We know there were some raised tempers last night, not directed at us, but among the people we support. We are often reminded that we can only do what we can with the tools we have, but after last night, I spent hours awake, worrying about those we left behind.
Tonight, 151 people attended our service.
Overall, the winter months are more difficult, and people’s mental health tends to worsen. We sent the team away to enjoy the Christmas break, but our phones haven’t stopped ringing. People are calling out of desperation for food, warmth, and even companionship.
On Friday, we received a call from an individual who is housed but completely isolated, with no food or heating. We could hear the coldness in his voice as he shared some of his deepest thoughts about his depression and feelings of failure. His flat is bare, with nothing to sit on or sleep on, just floorboards. No one to talk to… He spoke about the end. We knew this individual isn’t well, so we managed to arrange emergency medical attention for him and followed up with as much information as we could gather. This isn’t something we normally handle, but we couldn’t dismiss it. For now, we know he’s in the right place. We understand that things are difficult and resources are tight, but sometimes we know it’s more than just providing someone with a flat or room to exist in.
It’s been a challenging few weeks, and we’ve faced some difficult situations, but we will continue to do what we can.
Due to the escalation and demands we’ve faced, we no longer provide emergency food parcels. Instead, we put our food provisions into the food banks and signpost people to them.
Our hot meal provisions continue to support the homeless hostels we work with. On New Year’s Eve, we delivered pizza and cheesecakes so the residents could feel part of the new year celebrations. We also provided the same to the St Anne’s lunch club so our street homeless could be included in the festivities.
Our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who continues to support us each week.
HAMPERS
Sunday 14th December 2025
We have had a busy few weeks, but this time of year is always our busiest.
The winter months bring extra challenges for the street homeless community, and the demand on our charity is immense. Every week, we receive calls from people who have become homeless and are seeking support. We hear from individuals who simply can’t afford to eat and are looking for food assistance. Smaller food banks and community hubs also reach out to us for donations, so they can continue to support their communities. This week, we donated ten food hampers to a women’s support group, allowing them to provide meals to the women they serve over the Christmas holidays when everything is closed. We also continue to offer breakfast support to St Anne’s every week, ensuring our home community has access to a hot breakfast each morning.
On Sunday nights, the number of people we support remains steady, with between 150-180 individuals accessing our services. Not all of them are homeless; some simply can’t afford to eat. We provide them with food, clothes, and other essentials.
One of our regular female visitors came to us requesting clean clothing. Her very large backpack was packed to capacity, and she had acquired a shopping trolley filled with her belongings. When we asked how she managed to carry all that weight, her response touched our hearts: “Fail to prepare means prepare to fail.” She always prepares to get a good night’s sleep, like she does every week. She takes her food, sits across the road from us, eats, cleans up, disposes of her rubbish, and then walks over to thank us for being there. Sometimes, she even gives us a hug.
This week, we met a young man who became homeless after his mother passed away 11 months ago. He is currently facing other challenges in life. He sat in front of us, sobbing and repeating that he can’t continue with life. We listened and comforted him, but he was finding street life extremely difficult. It turned out he hadn’t slept for three nights, so we decided to pay for a hotel for three nights. Initially, he declined, knowing that after the three nights, he would end up back on the streets. Eventually, he accepted our offer. We spoke to him over the weekend to complete a welfare check, and he was very grateful and in a completely different mindset, making plans about the future. Sometimes, we recognise that our homeless community just needs a bit of respite off the streets, a warm, soft place to sleep, and access to a hot shower.
We continue to support homeless shelters with food support and meals. We also support food banks and community kitchens with food donations.
We thank:
– Catherine for cooking hot meals each week.
– Steve for the spicy bean casserole.
– Kirsten for cakes, crumbles, and custard.
– Shelly for providing custard to accompany our delicious range of cakes.
– Jane for the pasta bakes.
– Jo, Saul, Mand, and Linz for the apple crumbles and cake.
– Dawn for her wonderful baking enjoyed by all, as well as all the additional donations.
– Punjabi Heaven for donating vegetable curry and rice and chicken rolls.
– Singh restaurant for donating 35 meals to homeless hostels and B&Bs.
– Thank you to Crusty’s for their donation of water and sweet treats each week.
– Thank you to Mandeep and Harpal for donating a haul of much-needed soft drinks.
Thank you to the Bradford Hindu Council for their continued support with hot meals and snack packs.
– We are humbly grateful to everyone who continues to support our work week in and week out.
– We thank all the Homeless Hampers volunteers for giving us their valuable time.
We can’t do all we do without you all. Thank you to each of you for your support and encouragement to keep us going. Always humbly grateful.