It's not all about winning when it comes to football - Tessa Allingham meets a community group that offer an inclusive and charitable way to play.

A weekly kickabout in Milton Keynes is providing more than just exercise and fun - it is also bringing in donations to a food bank. Football for Foodbanks began in Sheffield and is spreading to other cities such as Milton Keynes. Any surplus money from players' fees is donated to the MK Food Bank.

Almost 2,000 members, £20,000 and immeasurably more food donated. This is the result of amateur footballers coming together to play to raise money for local foodbanks.

A community initiative founded in Sheffield that co-ordinates accessible inclusive football matches and donates profits to local foodbanks, is celebrating after receiving £10,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund.

The football community is no stranger to banding together for a good cause. The friendly league Football for Foodbanks embodies this ethos. Founded in Sheffield by Matty Cassell, its donations amount to several thousands of pounds – a “stand’s worth” of bags of food – and hundreds of sanitary products to food banks and other charities.

It’s 5.59pm on a Monday evening and I am staring at Facebook, mouse poised over the refresh button. When the clock ticks to 6pm I click and a post appears: “Hillsborough sign-ups, 19 needed.” I type “In” and hit return. This weekly ritual is played out by footballers across Sheffield, desperate to reserve their spot in a thriving casual setup that raises around £1,500 per month for a good cause.

As the country reels from the escalating cost of living crisis, I wanted to focus today’s blog on a more uplifting story. One that is all about solidarity, collaboration and the well-known global unifier that is football!

Football for Foodbanks (FFF) will launch in the town next month, overseen by Jack Emmens and his girlfriend Amy Calpin. FFF, which started in Sheffield last year, invites residents to enjoy the beautiful game and make vital donations to local foodbanks.

A group called Football for Foodbanks is hosting 6-a side-football matches and supporting Manchester foodbanks.
The group, which caters to both men and women, aims to make the activity accessible for all, regardless of ability.

A Sheffield charity has announced that it will be expanding to Manchester later this month – less than a year after it was founded.

Football for Foodbanks provides a vital boost to food banks during a time where more people are relying on them than ever. The Trussell Trust reported that between April and March 2020, a record 1.9 million people in Britain needed to access their food banks. Among these, 700,000 were children.

COVID-19 has all but decimated the economy, leaving many people out of work and struggling financially. As a result, foodbank use across the country is increasing, with The Trussell Trust forecasting a 61% increase in food parcels needed this winter. With tough times ahead, a group of local football fans are doing their bit to help the city’s foodbanks prepare. We spoke to Matty, the founder of Football For Foodbanks to hear more about it.