Q What will be happening at the day shelter over the Christmas period?

A We will be cooking and serving a full turkey dinner Christmas Day, followed by party games, and we'll be giving presents out. The presents contain things like socks, gloves, chocolates and toiletries. The lunch will be served at tables, it's the only time of year when the clients don't come to the counter to be served food. This time the food is brought to them. Bingo always goes down well, and we do things like quizzes and karaoke. On New Year's Day there will be a roast beef dinner and games. Christmas is a time when people who have nothing feel even more isolated and desperate, here they can have a meal, a sing-along, a few games and a present.

Q You rely on donations. What kind of donations do you need at this time of year?

A We're desperate for things like winter coats, hats, scarves, gloves, waterproofs and mens' shoes. We also welcome toiletries and tinned/packet food, and cash donations. Donations can be delivered to the day shelter, 16 - 20 Edmund Street, Bradford, from 9am to 4pm on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays or from 9am to 3.30pm Sundays and Wednesdays. To donate £5 to the day shelter text the word DAY to 82540. To donate more than £5 or to donate by debit or credit card text the word SHELTER to 82540. There is also a gift aid scheme, with 28p recovered for every £1 donated.

Q What contribution do volunteers make?

A They're invaluable. We currently have six volunteers but ideally we need about 25. We need six to cover Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. Volunteers help out in the kitchen, preparing and cooking food and washing up, and they also help in the clothes storage, helping to sort through the donations. Volunteers are also needed to chat to the clients, companionship is partly what people come in for. We get about 70 clients in a day and we're expecting about 120 on Christmas Day so we desperately need volunteers to cover the festive period.

Q As well as providing immediate help, with shelter, food and clothing, do you help people in a more long-term way?

A Yes, our ethos of is to help people re-build their lives. Simply providing food and shelter isn't a long-term answer. We have a training unit where clients can learn IT, carpentry, cooking and food hygiene. There is also advice on housing and benefits. Next door is a community training centre, providing more structured courses in things like computing, art and English and there are JobClub and Learndirect facilities. The aim is to help people move into mainstream education and employment.