LFC makes donation to Fans Supporting Foodbanks

Representatives from Red Neighbours and LFC Foundation visited St Andrew’s Community Network on Monday to show the club’s continued support for the initiative and stand together with the local community during uncertain times.

For the past three years, the club’s community programme, Red Neighbours, has backed Fans Supporting Foodbanks’ matchday collections – helping North Liverpool Foodbank to assist local people living in food poverty.

During the suspension of the Premier League, the cancellation of matches threatens a significant impact on North Liverpool Foodbank, which receives approximately 25 per cent of its donations from matchday collections at Anfield and Goodison Park.

Forbes Duff, Red Neighbours manager, said: “We have a long-standing relationship with Fans Supporting Foodbanks and the North Liverpool Foodbank, and we want to make sure that the local people continue to get the help they need.

“We’re doing whatever we can to offer support – including campaigns to raise awareness, getting volunteers together to help with the processing of food and also looking at how we can really impact the local Anfield area and the wider city as we go into some uncertain times.”

At the weekend, the Reds first-team squad and LFC Foundation committed to jointly donating £10,000 per game for this season’s four remaining league fixtures scheduled to be played at Anfield – ensuring the foodbank can continue to function without the matchday collections.

As well as the cash donation, excess food at Melwood and Anfield will be donated and LFC staff will continue to support the initiative through internal donations.

New foodbank collection points have been set up at all LFC stores in the city as well as the museum and tours area at Anfield for fans who wish to make a donation.

An online fundraising page has also been created as an alternative to allow supporters to make a financial donation directly to North Liverpool Foodbank. Click here for more information.

LFC Foundation staff will also be offering further support by arranging the collection and distribution of food donations during the period of Premier League suspension.

Matt Parish, LFC Foundation director, said: “With 25 per cent of North Liverpool Foodbank’s donations coming from the collections at Liverpool and Everton home games, we realised there would be a gap there and felt it was important that we step in to help.

“Aside from our cash donation, which has been matched by the first-team players, we’ve got a resource of staff who can help pack, deliver and help with whatever the North Liverpool Foodbank need.”

Dave Kelly, chairman of Fans Supporting Foodbanks, said: “Things like this transcend football. We got together on Saturday afternoon with the idea of trying to raise £10,000 to fill the void, and to be here a little over 48 hours later with £50,000 of donations is the biggest testimony to this city.

“It’s incredible what they have done. Fair play to all the players, staff and supporters – the help and the assistance they’ve given us is absolutely amazing.”

Priority items for North Liverpool Foodbank include:

• UHT milk
• Long-life juice or cordial
• Coffee
• Jar pasta/curry sauce
• Tinned meat
• Tinned vegetables
• Instant mash
• Rice pudding/custard
• Jam
• Toiletries
• Cup-a-soup/noodles
• Washing tablets

All items and contributions will be donated to North Liverpool Foodbank and made into three-day emergency food parcels for local people in crisis in the area, including the club’s surrounding postcodes L4, L5 and L6.

Liverpool FC thanks all of our fans for the continued generosity shown in supporting Fans Supporting Foodbanks, which makes a real difference to lives in the local area.