We know of the importance of a balanced diet which is why, at the end of each Soup Run meal, everyone is given a bag containing an apple, orange and banana.

Vitamin ‘C’ can help stave off colds – far harder to get rid of when living rough – and if our clients are fully fed [I was going to say ‘fed up’, but we hope that isn’t the case] after their meal they can at least eat the fruit the following day.

Quality, as with all the food we offer, is paramount and we simply would not accept fruit which is damaged. 

Fortunately, our supplier, Wm Morrison’s Supermarkets are very aware of our requirements and ensure that the fruit we get is free from blemishes and ready to eat.

Many, many years ago we did source our fruit from our local wholesale market but we found that they were interested only in providing us fruit which would enable their profit margin to be greater. We did explain why we needed good quality but this seemed to fall on deaf ears. Now we go to where quality is guaranteed. Enough said.

I was once at a local primary school and talking to the children about what we do. Without any prompting, one small lad said: Strawberries. I asked him what he meant.

He said: I like strawberries. Why not give ‘em strawberries? Out of the very mouths of babes and sucklings…

On the way back from the school I decided it might be a good idea. That night everyone had strawberries, Although they knew it was a ‘one off’ [we couldn’t afford it every week] the gesture was well appreciated and I made sure the young lad knew his idea had been acted upon and had been well-received.

Photo: Scott Rawnsley with The Bradford Soup Run’s fruit shopping.