Soup kitchen having to turn people away

Luton Sikh Soup Kitchen has given out more than 20,000 meals since 2021

A soup kitchen providing hot meals for the homeless had to turn people away after it ran out of food.

Luton Sikh Soup Kitchen started up three years ago and is a regular fixture in the town centre on Sunday evenings.

Volunteer Gurch Randhawa said: "We’re finding a lot of people are moving out of London and being relocated into hostels here.

"This is usually the only hot meal people have had that day, sometimes even that week."

Meals such as lentil dhal and pasta are cooked at the nearby Guru Nanak Gurdwara, then distributed in the town centre, along with food donated by local supermarkets and bakeries.

Jamie is homeless and says he "admires" the soup kitchen volunteers

Jamie, who is homeless, said the food was "something to fall back on".

"I’m sleeping rough at the moment in car parks and stairwells. Now it’s cold I’m trying to find somewhere indoors.

"Getting help with food is a life saver really. It is the only guaranteed hot meal I get today."

He said he had "big respect for people who come out and do this".

"It’s a relief to know there are people out here to help," he added.

Nikolasz has ended up living in a car park after his London landlord sold the house he was renting

Another person being helped by the soup kitchen is Nikolasz, who is originally from Hungary but has ended up living in a Luton car park.

"I lived in Hackney in London but my landlord sold the house," he told the BBC.

He moved to Luton hoping to get work as a driver, and is in contact with homeless charity Noah.

"I am living with my wife, we've found a car park. The wind and rain is a big problem, and it’s about four degrees, zero degrees."

Councillor Javeria Hussain says "the queue is growing" at the soup kitchen

Javeria Hussain is a local councillor who also volunteers at the soup kitchen.

"One of the beauties of Luton is we’re always united in supporting people less fortunate than ourselves," she said.

"That's why initiatives like this are really important to ensure nobody goes hungry.

"These bare essentials ensure people can survive through winter," she added.

Different generations from the Guru Nanak Gurdwara volunteer at the weekly soup kitchen