Gas fans donate to Foodbank

Bristol Rovers supporters responded in an extremely generous fashion when a Foodbank collection was held at their home game with Scunthorpe United, donating a staggering 978kgs of food.

Bristol Rovers supporters responded in an extremely generous fashion when a Foodbank collection was held at their home game with Scunthorpe United, donating a staggering 978kgs of food.

 It was all the work of John, Tom & Jade, three Rovers supporters who go to home and away games as much as possible. They say, “We’ve seen the mounting statistics on foodbank referrals over the past few years and the responses to them from clubs on Merseyside, Tyneside, Doncaster, Villa, Huddersfield etc. We said “someone should do that at the Gas” and then we said “well, why not us?  We firmly believe in the power of football to strengthen community bonds and that in hard times it’s down to everybody to stick together and help raise us all up. It’s been heartening to get a good response from the football club, local media and Gasheads at large”.

 North Bristol Foodbank has outlets at St James Church in Lockleaze, Ebenezer Church in Horfield, the Revive Charity Shop in Filton, and the Greenway Centre in Southmead. In the last year 3,740 three day emergency food supplies were given to local people in crisis by North Bristol Foodbank with over 1,500 going to children.

 Over this year local people have donated 39 tonnes of food to North Bristol Foodbank, and over 100 have volunteered. Local schools, businesses and faith groups have provided vital support to the Foodbank, enabling them to give three days’ nutritionally balanced food and support to people in crisis. As well as providing emergency food, North Bristol Foodbank provides essentials like toiletries, nappies and sanitary products to families who are struggling, as well as signposting them to other services in the local area. Many Trussell Trust Foodbanks, including North Bristol Foodbank, are partnering with other agencies that provide additional services such as welfare advice, budgeting help and debt support, helping people to break out of crisis.

 John, Jade and Tom, who also loaded the van with all the food say, “What can we say? Absolutely blown away by the generosity of you all (yesterday). Safe to say we must have been pushing a ton of donations by kick off! We were rushed off our feet getting it all packed and stowed safely. Thank you all so much you beautiful people”.

 Matt Dobson of North Bristol Foodbank says, “We were blown away by the support we received from all the Rovers fans. The 978kg of food collected will go straight to people in real crisis. We can’t thank enough the people behind gas heads against food poverty and the amazing fans of Bristol Rovers FC”.

 The food donated will find it’s way to North Bristol Foodbank’s outlets in Lockleaze, Horfield, Filton and Southmead.