Everton Partner Sodexo Donates Derby Stock To Foodbank

Everton’s official catering partner Sodexo is donating more than 635kg of fruit and vegetables and additional produce originally intended for Monday night’s Merseyside derby to North Liverpool Foodbank (NLF).

The Blues were set to host Liverpool at a sold-out Goodison Park until Premier League football was postponed on Friday as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Food sourced by Sodexo for the encounter will be taken to NLF on Monday. The delivery will include 136 litres of milk, 65 litres of cream and 360 eggs.

Jo Wetherill, Sodexo catering services director, told evertonfc.com: “Our first thought on learning the match wouldn’t be going ahead was of how we could use food which would otherwise go to waste.

“This is an uncertain and difficult time for everyone but these unique circumstances have enabled us to provide food for some of the people who need it most.

“We hope this donation will enable something positive to emerge from the game being cancelled and give valuable assistance to an essential charity which acts as a lifeline for members of its community.”

NLF supplies emergency food parcels and has grown to operate with multiple distribution centres and feed more than 7,000 people annually since its first foodbank opened in 2012.

The charity has formed close ties with Everton's Neighbourhood Team, which collects donations all week round to support the Club's community foodbank. Furthermore, all items contributed to the Club's Goodison matchday collections are handed to NLF.

Those combined efforts amount to Evertonians donating an average 7,000kg of produce, worth in the region of £7,500, each season.

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04:46 Tue 03 Dec 2019

WATCH: IWOBI AND KEAN HELP OUT AT LOCAL FOODBANK

Duo learn about the impact of Fans Supporting Foodbanks initiative ahead of 234th Merseyside derby.


Neighbourhood Team manager Sarah Atherton spent Monday morning distributing food on the Club's Blue Mile, featuring the regions of Walton, Anfield, Everton and Kirkdale. 

She said: "Everton is proactive in trying to help its community and we are consistently engaged in efforts to help people and families without the means to put food on their tables.

"Donations from supporters every season feed a minimum of 219 neighbours per ward in our Blue Mile.

"Foodbank support and the welfare services provided by our Neighbourhood Team have a life-changing impact on our core community, which is the fourth most deprived within the UK."

Supporters of Everton and Liverpool joined to establish the Fans Supporting Foodbanks (FSF) initiative in 2015 in a bid to tackle the issue of people unable to afford to feed their families.

All money raised by FSF goes directly to St Andrew’s Community Network, which hosts NLF.

You can donate to FSF by clicking here.