Martin Voller reports on community action in south London…
Staff at Southwark Foodbank were “overwhelmed” with the generosity shown by fans of Dulwich Hamlet Football Club following their ‘Foodbank Day’ last Saturday.
Officials at the Ryman Premier Division side came up with the idea for a ‘Dulwich Hamlet Foodbank Day’ in which supporters were urged to bring non-perishable food items and toiletries to last weekend’s match against Grays Athletic.
The club also offered free admission to Southwark Foodbank clients, their voluntary workers and their families.
The club’s Head of Community Development, Mishi Morath, said the initiative “really caught the imagination of our fans” after a higher than average crowd of over 1,000 fans came to Champion Hill, many with items to donate.
He added: “I had no idea how much or how little we would collect, but it was amazing to see the entire stage area in the bar overflowing with stuff.”
And the Southwark-based team look set to continue their relationship with the Foodbank.
Morath was pleased to say: “Without a doubt we aim to build stronger links with the Southwark Foodbank and will continue to offer them some free tickets for matches, as well as looking to make space in our ground for a regular matchday drop off point, with our fans delivering the goods to their Peckham base once a month.”
Founded in 2009 by Pecan, a Christian organisation started by local churches, the charity helped to feed nearly 5,000 of the most vulnerable people in Peckham last year.