The first Southend United match day foodbank collection in numbers:
- A massive 322kg of food and toiletries donated by generous Shrimpers
- £1200 in cash donations on the day, as well as more online donations coming in over the weekend
- 100s of leaflets, stickers and social media shares that helped spread the message
- 68 hours of volunteer time, plus vital support from the Southend United Community and Educational Trust and the club staff
- 6 pubs supporting the event, with three pub collection points (thanks to The Cricketers, The Plough, West Road Tap, Mile and Third, Blue Boar and Spread Eagle – the latter three hosting collection crates on the day)
- 2 teams’ fans donating (thanks Woking FC fans for putting some cash in the cans!) because #HungerDoesntWearClubColours
- 1 Sammy the Shrimp
The local Fans Supporting Foodbanks group, Fans Supporting Southend Foodbanks, are planning more activities, fundraising and collections across the season, so give them a follow on social media for updates – and to get involved!
For more on the developing work between football fans and foodbanks, check out our overview of solidarity movements in football and the national Fans Supporting Foodbanks grassroots network.
Donations of food, toiletries and cash are urgently needed by foodbanks around the country and right here in Southend. Rising food prices and energy bills, increasing debt, and changes to the welfare safety net, are pushing more people into poverty. More people are turning to foodbanks for emergency help with essentials, the absolute basics of a few days of food and hygiene products.
As a Trussell Trust foodbank, we know that #ThisCanChange. Giving food helps people in crisis today, but we need to tackle the root causes of poverty too for a future without food poverty. You can get involved in making change and getting people out of foodbanks and out of poverty through Trussell campaigns.
If you are struggling financially, check out our Get Help page for information about support across a range of money, housing and health issues, as well as how to get help from your local foodbank: southend.foodbank.org.uk/get-help/online-signposting/
Photos submitted by donation day volunteers, 13th November 2021.
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Notes:
Southend Foodbank opened in 2013. Since then, it has grown to cover Southend and Rochford with 8 distribution points across Southend, Shoeburyness, Southchurch, Westcliff, Leigh, Eastwood and Hawkwell and Hockley.
Every year the foodbank has been open has been busier than the year before. In 2020, Southend Foodbank had over 2400 referrals, and gave out food to more than 6400 people including 2900 children.
Referrals are made to the foodbank from a range of agencies, including Citizens Advice, schools, GPs and social workers, housing associations, police, and community organisations. As part of the Trussell Trust network of foodbanks, Southend Foodbank works on a referral model to make sure that people in need are connected with at least one source of support as well as getting emergency food. The foodbank also offers signposting to further help for people in crisis.
Enquiries about the Southend Foodbank/Southend United donation day should be sent to [email protected]