There is little more painful than breaking in a pair of shoes except for not wearing any at all.

Yet this is what religious teacher Guru Gulshan Singh has been doing for the past seven years because he believes he has the blessing of a goddess. And he's determined he won't wear shoes again until the UK's homeless problem is ended.

Guru Singh, 56, who is based in Hayes, said: "I have perfectly healthy feet but I wouldn't advise others to go without shoes. Only I can go barefoot because I have the blessing of Kali, destroyer of prejudice and anger, and goddess of motherly love."

Born a Sikh, the Guru immigrated from the Indian Punjab with his family in 1959.

However, it wasn't until 1981 that the Guru received his first vision of the Hindu goddess Kali and his life changed forever. From that moment he devoted himself to the worship of Kali by setting up a religious fellowship, Kali Mata Mandir, recruiting disciples and helping out London's homeless.

However, his bare feet sometimes attract unwanted attention from people who offer him shoes or try to touch his feet.

"They laugh at me when I walk around and call me a madman. Many people have come up to touch my feet but only my disciples can kiss my feet. They are also allowed to wash my feet using a bowl of soap and petals."

He claims his disciples in Britain and abroad, many of whom were recruited over the internet, number 3,000.

Together with his followers the Guru has supported just about every appeal possible. He has sent tinned food to earthquake victims, collected blankets for people whose lives have been devastated by war and poverty and has even appealed for pet food to feed the dogs and cats owned by the homeless.

But it is his work as an exorcist which is his most dangerous pursuit. "It's dangerous but I like it. I love talking to the spirits. There isn't a spirit walking about that I can't control. I am the best exorcist in the western world because I am free."

The Guru and his wife, Surjit Kaur, rely on donations to keep his group afloat.

During a typical day he wakes at 5am for a four-hour prayer session, then he comes down for a cup of tea and reads the post. A few letters later, he hops into his van and drives to Southall where he collects food. The hours from 3.30pm until late are spent picking up volunteers and handing out food to the homeless in Hayes, Uxbridge, Lincoln Innsfield, Holbourne and Trafalgar Square.

In the unlikely event that UK homelessness ends and the Guru finds himself in a shoe store he says 'I'd probably go for a pair of white pumped-up trainers for looks only'.

Until then, anyone who sees the Guru wearing a pair of shoes can claim a £1,000 reward.