A CHARITY that helps some of the world's most destitute people is about to begin feeding deprived people in Keighley.

Humanitarian group SKT Welfare has announced it will start operating a weekly soup kitchen, called Baraka Community Kitchen.

This will be formally launched on August 7, but a trial session takes place tomorrow evening, from 6pm to 8pm, at the Sangat Centre in Marlborough Street.

Charity volunteer and spokesman, Amjad Zaman, said: "There is a very real need for this.

"I'm hearing things are getting worse for people out there. It's just a nightmare.

"The number of people needing this kind of help is increasing. It's down to a combination of issues, including lack of employment.

"People need to be fed, and to a certain extent the Government has let them down. As a community, we need to make sure we're providing for the most vulnerable.

"We'll help anyone who comes to our door. It's about treating them with the dignity they deserve."

Baraka Community Kitchen intends to offer hot food and refreshments at the Sangat Centre every Friday between 6pm and 8pm.

Keighley Mayor, Councillor Javaid Akhtar will be among dignitaries at the official launch next week.

Mr Zaman, who is himself a town councillor and a former Keighley mayor, added: "SKT Welfare is international, but we don't wish to neglect our own communities.

"Our volunteers here in Keighley want to focus on serving local people.

"We've had this idea to give something back to these people, especially those who have no one else, no one to go home to, don't have access to hot food and have been pushed away by society.

"Our charity operates a 100 per cent donation policy, and every penny we get goes to where the donor wants it to go.

"As well as the kitchen we have chairs and tables – people will even be able to sit outside and eat if the weather is nice."

Mr Zaman said the charity did not want to duplicate the efforts of groups already running soup kitchens in Keighley, so deliberately chose to run its own venture on a day of the week when there was no soup kitchen provision.

He said SKT Welfare's initiative had provoked a surge of enthusiasm from Keighley volunteers wanting to get involved.

"People from every walk of life are signing up and wanting to help us out – particularly younger people," he added. "We're even having to get them to hold back a bit."

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