In December 2019, following consultation with Newham Council, LS185 and the LLDC, we were given permission to collect donations for the Newham Foodbank based in Beckton. They supply food parcels through 7 centres throughout Newham. The demand on foodbanks had grown progressively and we were hopeful that with over 1 million visitors attending games at the London Stadium over a season, that we could make a difference to our local community. Following the successful trial at the Leicester City game, we were given permission to continue collecting at every home game, subject to any ‘high risk’ games. By the end of February we were collecting approx. £700 per game in food value and cash.
League draw on 27 August, 1st group game 16 September
A successful Easter Egg Appeal
Thanks to the wide-ranging support we enjoy, we were able to distribute over 5,700 Easter eggs throughout Newham this year. Supplying families using Newham Foodbank, the AAA in Canning Town, and several church foodbanks from Stratford to North Woolwich, we are delighted to acknowledge the donations made by so many, including joint Chairman David Sullivan, the club, new West Ham Women’s sponsor Rainer Hughes, Spire London East Hospital, regulars at the Victoria Tavern, and many West Ham fans and friends.
We hope that we’ve been able to make a small difference to so many children this Easter.
More help needed
Our partners at One Newham advise that there are many families struggling with a lack of online access.
If anyone has a spare unused smartphone, tablet or laptop please drop us a line or contact https://skillsenterprise.co.uk/ directly.
PPE Visors
During lockdown, Merseyside’s Fans Supporting Foodbank donated funds to the Knowsley PPE Hub for the purchase of PPE-making equipment and raw materials for the manufacture of visors for local hospitals and front-line workers in Merseyside. After a few weeks they were able to offer the visors nationally via the established football foodbank groups in Newcastle, Huddersfield, Manchester City and United, and West Ham. We identified the hospitals in East London and Essex and were able to have delivered 1,000 visors locally by volunteer Nigel Kahn
We also distributed a further 300 visors to local care homes in Redbridge.
#CHARITYNOTPPV
Alongside all of the other Premier League clubs, Irons Supporting Foodbanks are asking our fans to make an affordable donation to their local foodbank and to boycott the £14.95 pay per view charge instead of paying this money to Sky Sports and BT Sport. Whilst we are currently in a run of 3 scheduled televised games covered by normal Sky Sports/BT Sport subscriptions, the extra surcharge for PPV (for West Ham fans likely to be for the Fulham game), comes at a difficult time where families are trying to make ends meet during the Covid crisis with the various tier restrictions and further furlough.
So far this week 10,000’s of fans have donated to their local foodbanks. Newcastle United fans donated over £20,000 rather than watch last weekend’s PPV game. The 2 Manchester clubs have seen over £25,000 donated to the city’s 19 foodbanks, and The Leeds United Trust has seen £31,000 donated locally.
A spokesperson for Irons Supporting Foodbanks added “This week we’ve seen 10,000’s of fans helping 10’000’s of people. This is fan activism at its best. Until the broadcasters revise their charge down to a realistic price point we ask that our fans support Newham Foodbank and if possible donate at www.justgiving/crowdfunding/IronsSupportingFoodbanks.”
‘We are pleased that fan groups including WHUISA are supporting this campaign.’
