Anton
Irons Supporting Foodbanks began almost three years ago collecting food and cash donations from match-going fans before home games at the London Stadium. Some three years later what began as an effort to supply the six food banks that formed part of Newham Foodbank they now supply 26 food banks and community groups in east London stretching out to Brentwood and Chelmsford. On average they supply one pallet of food per week to a local food bank and across the year this amounts to 26 tonnes of food delivered into the area which is only made possible due to the generous donations of match going fans and other fundraising activities.
Christmas Appeal
At Easter time and Christmas time we focus on the 43,000 Newham children living below the poverty line and they attempt to deliver several thousand seasonal chocolates to these children through the food banks. This year they are aiming for 8000 chocolate items for distribution and they hope that the West Ham fan community will help them to achieve this goal.
Alongside the food banks and seasonal collections they also distribute an enormous quantity of new clothes into the community. These go to homeless groups and also to local councils including Dagenham and Redbridge, Newham and very shortly Hackney. In the last 12 months they have distributed over £50,000 of new sportswear and equipment from Umbro. With a new supplier recently confirmed they now are able to distribute approximately £40,000 worth of clothes into the community every month. This brings the total worth or total value of what the West Ham fanbase brings to the community in food, clothing and support services to approximately a massive £750,000 a year. They couldn’t do this without the support of the fans on a match day and their fundraising support.
John Ratomski from the ISF said “We thank the West Ham fan family for all that they do for us. West Ham fans are top fans, top people”.
John added “To help us achieve our goals we have a range of merchandising available which we sell on a match day including beanies and sweatshirts, with all proceeds going to buy more food for those who are struggling. Match-going fans could also donate through a cashless card reader at our collection point on Stratford Walk (we set up 3 hours before every first team game) or, our QR code or via our JustGiving page, link below
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ironssupportingfoodbanks2022
