People are recounting their personal experiences of poverty and homelessness at an awareness event taking place in Bradford tomorrow.

Bradford has two of the worst wards in the country for child poverty and a significant "hidden" homelessness problem, according to groups which deal with the issue day-to-day.

Tomorrow's event, called Speak Out On Poverty, has been organised as part of a national campaign running until the end of next week.

The campaign is being supported by various groups and organisations as well as the Church of England.

Sam Randall, church in the world officer for the Bradford Diocese, said: "Poverty and homelessness are complex issues and can be hidden from view which means often people are not aware of them.

"When we talk about poverty we are not necessarily talking about people being destitute although of course that is part of it. Poverty can affect anyone - single parents, students, long term carers.

"In the current economic climate with fixed incomes more and more people are feeling the strain. Poverty affects us all and can damage the cohesion of communities. I spoke to someone the other day who had been offered a mortgage seven times their salary. To me that is absolutely criminal; how were they ever going to pay that back?"

"Some of our wards here in Bradford have pockets of deep poverty, there is also the issue of rural poverty which is often overlooked. This is an issue which we should all be concerned about and these events are all about opening people's eyes."

Marsha Singh, Labour MP for Bradford West, who was attending today's event, said: "I think event's such as this are very important in raising public awareness.

"It is very easy to forget about poverty. This country is very good at helping impoverished people in the developing world and quite rightly so but at the same time we have to be aware of poverty on our own doorstep.

"It could be your next door neighbour or an old age pensioner unable to pay her fuel bills. Fuel poverty is an issue I hope will be addressed at the event today."

Speak Out On Poverty was being held at the Impressions Gallery in Centenary Square, Bradford, between 11am and 12.30pm.