A volunteer called Ali is getting ready to serve silver foil trays of chicken and rice to a queue of more than 80 hungry men and women in a Birmingham side street.
A thin older lady, teeth missing, is near the front. I mention that I've just left the Conservative Party conference, a few hundred yards away at the ICC centre in Centenary Square, writes the political editor of Birmingham Live. "I used to vote Tory, imagine that - never again," she says, laughing. There's a good natured boo from further back.
Coming across this gathering is a jolting shock after emerging minutes earlier from the bubble of the party conference, where delegates can barely move for free finger food at fringe events and drinks receptions. It's a stark reality check.
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"I wish the Government ministers over there (pointing towards the ICC) would come and speak to people over here," says Ali, 22, who volunteers with the Who Is Hussain charity that is behind this venture. "We normally have around 60 people - tonight there are at least 80 already," he says.
Inspired by a desire to 'help people out - it's part of my faith's calling' - Ali says he sees with his own eyes, week after week, what people are going through. "Everyone here is really nice and polite, they appreciate what we do. But this is not right. This is 2022 in Britain..." His voice tails off.
I put my camera away at the request of a man in the queue, whose worried that people pictured might get some form of reprisal. "Unless you can get the Government to put up benefits payments and provide better homes to help people out - can you do that? Because people here don't have nothing."
Michelle and her partner Sam, not their real names, have come into the city by bus from Witton in Aston. After getting some hot food in their empty tummies here, they will head to another charitable mission nearby where they can get a food parcel that will last them a couple more days.
They live together in supported accommodation but say the 'support' is non existent. "We are supposed to live on £60 a week between us."
Michelle recounts some of her life story - a trauma-filled childhood, early bereavement, dropping out of school, getting pregnant, substance abuse, multiple traumas, her children now in care. Partner Sam has been in and out of prison.
She's not hopeful for the future. "We've got each other, 17 years we been together, but who'd give us a job? We are stuck on benefits, and prices are going up, food is so expensive, it's hard."
An older man, 63, is here because he struggles to make his benefits stretch. His wife has severe epilepsy, so needs lots of care. He is picking up food for them both. He's across the political discussions going on across at the ICC, and asks me if I think Liz Truss will raise benefits. "We need her to. Food costs are going up so much. We are just about surviving," he says.
Another tells me he has serious depression and says most people he knows in the food queues have a mental illness of some sort. "It's hard to keep going some days."
Earlier the same day, I'd sat down with the Prime Minister Liz Truss to ask her what exactly she was doing for our city's most vulnerable and worst off. My questions focussed on the shocking statistic that 43% of children here - around 110,000 kids - are being raised in poverty. For thousands of them, home is a temporary flat or B&B room.
The PM claimed she HAS acted. She pointed to her emergency energy crisis support payouts, her Government's package of support for lowest income households, and why her growth plan would unlock opportunities for the poorest. Read her full response here.
But when asked if she intended to raise benefits in line with inflation, to help the most vulnerable survive in the face of rapidly escalating costs, she would not be drawn. It's become a crucial issue, with fellow ministers coming out for and against the proposal.
Labour MP Liam Byrne (Birmingham Hodge Hill) who represents one of the Birmingham's most deprived constituencies, said he would be outside the conference collecting donations for local food banks while Liz Truss delivers her conference speech today.
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