Blue & Red Backing Foodbanks

Ahead of the 227th Merseyside derby, Everton and Liverpool supporters put their rivalry to one side and teamed up to raise awareness of an initiative that goes beyond their Club colours.

A group of Merseyside football fans came together to call on fellow supporters from both sides attending the game on 19 December to take any non-perishable food they could spare to any of the three drop off points located around Goodison Park.

The Fans Supporting Foodbanks initiative, set up by local Everton and Liverpool supporters groups in conjunction with North Liverpool Foodbank, Anfield Breckside Community Centre, Unite in the Community and the Trussel Trust, received the backing of both clubs and other supporter groups.

Ahead of each Everton and Liverpool FC matchday, volunteers from North Liverpool Foodbank are joined by supporters to help collect food donated by fans. Both Everton and Liverpool Football Clubs have offered space to the fans led initiative in their respective FanZones.

A total of 3191kg or 502 stone of food has been donated by fans of both clubs since collections started at Goodison Park and Anfield. The growing need for support for the city’s foodbanks have been highlighted in a recent report by the Trussell Trust which stated ‘2650 three-day emergency food suppliesare provided to local people by 10 foodbanks during April – September 2016.’ Of this number, 978 went to children. The report went on to conclude that the top three reasons for foodbank referrals were: benefit delay 34 per cent; benefit change 24 per cent; low income 19 per cent.