Football for Foodbanks marked their fourth anniversary since launching in Manchester in 2021
Football for Foodbanks members
Football for Foodbanks members and their donation(Image: Football for Foodbanks )
England star Marcus Rashford has shown how the power of football can help communities in Manchester in recent years, and Football for Foodbanks is doing just that by continuing to make a huge difference in the lives of thousands.
Originally founded in Sheffield in 2020, creator Matty Cassell began hosting friendly, casual football games with the idea of donating the excess from playing fees to local foodbanks. The initiative took Sheffield by storm and was brought to Manchester the following year.
It was also five years ago that Rashford became an ambassador for FareShare, helping fight hunger in the nation’s most vulnerable communities at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"We know that Rashford is an ambassador there and has influenced government policy, alongside making donations himself, to ensure that vulnerable children receive access to food," Adam, Head of the Manchester Men’s Division at Football for Foodbanks began telling Manchester Evening News.
"He’s a great example of how football can make a huge difference off the pitch. It will be a real milestone moment for us when we get to the point where massive clubs are interested in supporting and working with us.”
Football for Foodbanks was formed in response to the need for inclusive football games that welcome players of all abilities and backgrounds.
Adam explained: "There was a huge gap for casual games of football that can accommodate all abilities and anyone who wants to play. We do not mind that you have a dodgy knee, have never kicked a ball before, or are feeling a bit old these days.
"We are proud to provide the space where you are welcome to play. We won’t charge more than £4 per player as we want to make sure that our games are always accessible and affordable for all. This does mean that many of the pitches in Manchester are out of our price range, and we’d risk running at a loss if we didn’t fill the pitch every week.
"As a result, we are reliant on the generosity of our current venues offering special rates for community-focused organisations, allowing us to make the money that goes on to make the difference for those who need it. Not every pitch offers such rates, so it’s a real sign that a particular venue cares about being part of the community, and it’s something we’d like to see more of, as our organisation is an example of bringing that to life."
Football for Foodbanks members
Donations made to Football for Foodbanks(Image: Football for Foodbanks)
In Manchester, the organisation hosts three men's games each week, along with one game specifically for women and gender minorities. "The games are at different times on different days to try and accommodate as many different lifestyles as possible," Adam stated.
"Mens currently play Mondays at 8:00pm at the Manchester Academy High School and on Tuesdays, the game is played at Burnage Rugby & Football Club at 9pm. On Wednesdays, men's, women & gender minorities play two games at The Energy Box at 7pm."
If you're based in Manchester and want to take part, it's simple to get started. "We have two Facebook groups – one for our Men’s Division, and one for our Women and Gender Minorities Division," he detailed.
"We love giving everyone a chance to get involved, so our players can join whichever group they feel comfortable playing with. Sign-up posts go live at 6pm two days before each game, and spaces are allocated on a first-come-first-serve basis depending on pitch size.
"On the day, turn up and pay your £4 fee, and we’ll take care of the rest. Once a month, we do a big shop where around 70% of the money left over after paying for the pitch gets used to buy food, toiletries and hygiene products which we then donate to foodbanks in the area."
The organisation has seen great success, with Adam and his team running games non-stop since launching the initiative in Manchester in May 2021.
"We have put on games every week - other than a well-earned break over Christmas - since we started in Manchester, and there is no sign of slowing down," he revealed.
The past few years have been incredibly rewarding for the organisation, and it has been difficult to choose just one standout moment among so many meaningful experiences.
"We have so many wonderful moments to choose from," Adam recalled. "We have organised multiple 11-a-side friendlies against other like-minded teams in the Greater Manchester area, and when we do this we ask players to bring a bag of food rather than pay money to play.
Participant of FFF
Comments from a participant of FFF(Image: Football for Foodbanks)
"On one such occasion we combined the physical donations and the cash raised by one month of games, to donate over £600 to Humans MCR - their biggest donation ever, all through passive income from kicking a ball about and having a laugh."
However, if football’s not your cup of tea, you can still support Football for Foodbanks with a donation. The organisation’s own merchandise helps raise donations which are then exchanged for food.
A total of 15 foodbanks are supported by the organisation. They are proud to support Clay Cross Foodbank, Chesterfield Foodbank, Derbyshire Community Hub, MK Foodbank, Emmeline’s Pantry, Perry’s Pantry Foodbank, Little Bundles, Humans MCR, Manchester South Central Foodbank, The S2 Foodbank Network, Grace Foodbank, Burngreave Foodbank, Baby Basics, Stannington Foodbank and Sheffield S6 Foodbank.
In addition to Manchester, the organisation operates in Chesterfield, Rotherham, Milton Keynes, and Northampton. If there isn’t a location near you, you can still choose to donate directly to your local foodbank.
"If you want to support your local foodbank, contact them directly - many of them have direct donation options and are able to claim Gift Aid to boost your donation even further," Adam encouraged.
While community support remains strong week in and week out, Football for Foodbanks is still in need of sponsorship. “We have been successful in some small funding applications over the years to enable us to build a website.
"We have had some very generous players over the years that have helped fund trophies, kits, or donated their time to referee our organised games, but we have not had formal sponsorship up to now.”
If you're interested in becoming a sponsor, you can get in touch via hello@footballforfoodbanks.com.