Families across Bradford and Keighley received an early Christmas present over the weekend in the form of much- needed food and top-ups of gas and electricity.

Members of Bradford’s Life Church on Wapping Road had raised over £10,000 in the run-up to Christmas, and over the weekend they visited dozens of the most impoverished families in the area to help them through the holiday season.

They were handing out hampers and topping up families’ gas and electricity cards with £100 to help them cope with the cold winter weather.

After speaking with different organisations that deal with families in need, members of the church were told that with the high costs of energy prices meant that many families faced the terrible decision of spending their money on either heating their home or feeding their family properly.

So the church decided to help them on both fronts, providing hampers of food, blankets and bedding, and help to keep their homes warm over winter.

Volunteers, many in family groups, met at the church on Saturday morning to stock up on the hampers and split up to visit dozens of families to provide them with the important items.

The families were identified through conversations with various groups, including Bradford Education and Keighley Social Services. It also identified what the families needed the most.

Love Bradford Director Rich Martin said: “We were going to help the people who won’t be able to afford to heat their homes over Christmas. By topping up their gas and electric it will help these families out a lot.

“It has been an amazing day being able to help some of the most needy in our community. The response from people when we’ve knocked on their door has been overwhelming as many are in difficult situations. The church volunteers have worked so hard and people in the church have given so generously to enable us to help this Christmas.

“We did something similar last year but this is the biggest one we’ve done yet.

“We’re acutely aware that as much as people want presents for Christmas, the big issue is actually heating their buildings.”