{{Short description|Charitable initiative in Liverpool}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox organization | name = Fans Supporting Foodbanks | image = | caption = | type = | vat_id = | registration_id = | founded = {{Start date|2015}} | founder = [[Ian Byrne]]<br />Dave Kelly<br />Robbie Daniels | dissolved = | location = | coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|LAT|LON|display=inline,title}} --> | origins = [[Liverpool]], England | key_people = | region_served = | products = | services = | focus = | purpose = [[Poverty reduction|Reducing poverty]] and [[hunger in the United Kingdom]] through a system of [[democratic socialism]] | method = [[Food bank]]s | revenue = | disbursements = | expenses = | endowment = | num_volunteers = | num_employees = | num_members = | affiliations = | subsid = | owner = | former_name = | website = https://fanssupportingfoodbanks.co.uk | footnotes = }}
'''Fans Supporting Foodbanks''' is a joint initiative between supporters of rival football clubs [[Liverpool F.C.]] and [[Everton F.C.]], founded in 2015 to tackle [[Hunger in the United Kingdom|food poverty]] in [[Liverpool]]. It provides a quarter of all food donations to north Liverpool [[food bank]]s and has helped to develop a network of fan-driven food banks across the UK. It is an example of progressive football fan activism.
== History ==
Fans Supporting Foodbanks is a partnership between Everton Supporters' Trust and [[Spirit of Shankly]] supporters' union. It was founded in 2015 by Liverpool fan [[Ian Byrne]] and Everton fans Dave Kelly and Robbie Daniels in response to rising food poverty linked to the programme of [[United Kingdom government austerity programme|austerity]] implemented by the UK government from 2010.
Taking inspiration from [[Celtic F.C.]] fan group [[Green Brigade|The Green Brigade]], Fans Supporting Foodbanks started collecting food donations in wheelie-bins outside pubs on matchdays. Both [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] and [[Everton F.C.|Everton]] football clubs have shown strong support for the initiative.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/fans-unite-incredible-foodbank-appeal-13760802 | title=Everton and Liverpool fans unite for incredible foodbank appeal - but it puts the Government to shame | last=Reade | first=Brian | newspaper=Daily Mirror | date=20 December 2018}}</ref> As well as holding collections at home games, Fans Supporting Foodbanks bring food to donate to rival fans' foodbanks during away fixtures, as a show of solidarity. The group's motto is: "Hunger doesn't wear club colours."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sharma |first1=Sonia |last2=Furedi |first2=Jacob |date=2 October 2017 |title=Liverpool fans' amazing gesture to Newcastle foodbank |url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/liverpool-fans-amazing-gesture-newcastle-13707740 |access-date=28 November 2022 |website=Liverpool Echo |language=en}}</ref>
In 2018, Liverpool F.C. chief executive, [[Peter Moore (businessman)|Peter Moore]], donated a vehicle through his foundation. Fans Supporting Foodbanks’ purple van (a mix of the two clubs' colours) is used to transport food donations from across the city and can be found outside Anfield and Goodison on matchdays.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thisisanfield.com/2019/10/fans-supporting-foodbanks-its-not-charity-its-solidarity/ | title=Fans Supporting Foodbanks: "It's not charity, it's solidarity" | last=Goulding | first=Jeff | newspaper=This is Anfield | date=14 October 2019}}</ref> In August, Liverpool podcast and fanzine ''[[The Anfield Wrap]]'' commissioned a mural of Liverpool F.C.'s [[Trent Alexander-Arnold]], created by French graffiti artist Akse, dedicated to Fans Supporting Foodbanks. The mural can be found on Sybil Road near Anfield Stadium.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.co.uk/football/liverpool/story/3916547/the-story-behind-trent-alexander-arnolds-new-anfield-mural|title=The story behind Trent Alexander-Arnold's new Anfield mural|last=Reddy|first=Melissa|date=9 August 2019|website=ESPN}}</ref>
Ahead of the 2019 general election, Fans Supporting Foodbanks co-founder Ian Byrne was selected as the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]'s candidate for [[Liverpool West Derby (UK Parliament constituency)|Liverpool West Derby]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/foodbank-campaigner-wins-nail-biting-17194110|title=Foodbank campaigner wins nail biting MP selection vote|last=Thorp|first=Liam|date=3 November 2019|newspaper=Liverpool Echo}}</ref> On 12 December 2019, Byrne was elected with 77.6% of the vote.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000796|title=Liverpool West Derby parliamentary constituency - Election 2019|website=BBC News|access-date=20 December 2019}}</ref>
In November 2020, Fans Supporting Foodbanks launched a mobile community food pantry.<ref>{{cite news|last=Johnson|first=Mark|date=31 October 2020|title=Mobile pantry giving £25 of food to struggling families for £3.50|url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/new-mobile-pantry-350-provide-19195069|website=Liverpool Echo|language=en}}</ref>
== Work ==
=== Countering the far-right ===
Fans Supporting Foodbanks consider their work as a response to football fan groups with links to the [[far-right politics|far-right]], such as the [[Football Lads Alliance]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/liverpool-everton-huddersfield-news-fan-activism-progressive-politics-football-lads-alliance-a8612191.html|title=Forget the Football Lads Alliance: Merseyside's progressive fan activists are the true faces of our sport|last=Hughes|first=Simon|date=1 November 2018|newspaper=The Independent}}</ref> The group partners with religious and ethnic minority groups to organise joint collections and events with the aim of breaking down barriers between communities.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-46623082 | title=The Muslim families donating to food banks for Christmas | publisher=BBC News | date=23 December 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://mitzvahday.org.uk/project/join-with-fans-supporting-food-banks/|title=Join with "Fans Supporting Food Banks"|publisher=Mitzvah Day}}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In 2018, Fans Supporting Foodbanks invited football fans to screenings of [[FIFA World Cup|World Cup]] games at the Abdullah Quilliam Mosque.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-merseyside-44552804 | title=Fans in Liverpool cheer on Mohamed Salah in Britain's oldest mosque | publisher=BBC News | date=20 June 2018}}</ref>
Journalist [[Ash Sarkar]] wrote in ''[[The Guardian]]'': <blockquote>"This endeavour shows that football doesn't have to be the domain of racists and Islamophobes, and that mosques aren't some culturally alien and terrifying enclave. By addressing the immediate economic conditions of the neighbourhoods around them, anti-racist activists can bring together seemingly opposed communities and close down the gaps where the far right are able to organise."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/aug/21/anti-fascist-movement-far-right|title=This isn't just a culture war – we need a radical anti-fascist movement right now|last=Sarkar|first=Ash|newspaper=The Guardian|date=21 August 2018}}</ref></blockquote>
=== COVID-19 response ===
During the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom|COVID-19 pandemic]], Fans Supporting Foodbanks set up a new food distribution hub and co-ordinated efforts to produce [[personal protective equipment]] for frontline NHS and care workers.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/heroic-efforts-liverpool-creating-vital-18111974|title=Heroic efforts in Liverpool creating vital PPE for the NHS and getting food to the needy|last=Thorp|first=Liam|date=18 April 2020|work=Liverpool Echo}}</ref>
When football matches were being played behind closed doors and the Premier League charged £14.95 to watch some matches on television, Fans Supporting Foodbanks encouraged supporters to boycott pay-per-view matches and donate the amount to foodbanks instead, raising over £100,000.<ref>{{cite news|last=Kay|first=Dan|date=25 October 2020|title=Foodbank fundraiser from fans per-per-view boycott tops £100k|url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-pay-per-view-boycott-19161968|website=Liverpool Echo |language=en}}</ref> Pay-per-view was scrapped soon after.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/sport/football/article/premier-league-clubs-agree-to-ditch-pay-per-view-fee-7r89j939n|title=Premier League clubs agree to ditch pay-per-view fee|last=Ziegler|first=Martyn|date=5 November 2020|work=The Sunday Times|url-access=subscription}}</ref>
=== Right to Food ===
In December 2020, Ian Byrne and Fans Supporting Foodbanks launched a campaign for the [[Right to Food]] to be written into UK law.<ref>{{cite news|last=Thorp|first=Liam|date=20 December 2020|title=Mission to end food poverty that's starting in Liverpool|url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/mission-end-food-poverty-starting-19467445|work=Liverpool Echo|language=en}}</ref> In January 2021, Liverpool City Council unanimously voted to support the Right to Food being enshrined in law, making it the UK's first 'Right to Food' city.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bigissue.com/latest/councils-vote-to-make-food-a-legal-right-is-remarkable/|title=Council's vote to make food a legal right is 'remarkable'|last=Westwater|first=Hannah|date=20 January 2021|work=The Big Issue}}</ref>
== Awards ==
* In 2018, Fans Supporting Foodbanks were awarded the Bill Shankly Community Award in the [[Liverpool Player of the Season Awards]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.liverpoolfc.com/playersawards/lfc-players-awards-2018|title=LFC Players Awards 2018|publisher=Liverpool F.C.}}</ref> * In November 2018, Fans Supporting Foodbanks were awarded the Alan Ball "Ball of Fire" Award.<ref>{{cite tweet |user=SFoodbanks |author=Fans Supporting Foodbanks |number=1068631660189630465 |date=30 November 2018 |title=The Alan Ball "Ball of Fire" winners 2018 Fans Supporting Foodbanks. }}</ref> * In January 2020, Fans Supporting Foodbanks were named as one of [[The Big Issue]]'s Top 100 Changemakers for 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.football365.com/news/fans-supporting-foodbanks-football-premier-league|title=Fans Supporting Foodbanks: Hunger doesn't wear club colours|last=Winterburn|first=Sarah|date=27 January 2020|work=Football365}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links ==
*{{Twitter | SFoodbanks}} *{{Facebook | FansSupportingFooddbanks | Fans Supporting Foodbanks}}
[[Category:Liverpool F.C.]] [[Category:Everton F.C.]] [[Category:Food banks]] [[Category:Food politics in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Poverty in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Politics and sports]]