A new collective is hoping to bring football fans together to support local foodbanks throughout the cost of living crisis.
Fans Supporting Foodbanks NI was started by Paul Doherty and Steve Reid with the aim of showing solidarity with the many people in communities across Northern Ireland who find themselves in crisis.
On Tuesday night, November 8, they will be stationed at the home end of Windsor Park at the Linfield and Cliftonville match to allow fans to come together to donate food items.
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The initiative is linked to an initial fan drive led in England, at both Everton and Liverpool FC, which has gone on to support many food banks all over England and Scotland as a result.
Speaking to Belfast Live about the initiative in Northern Ireland, Paul Doherty said: "We are seeing far too many individuals across our communities struggling to put food on the table and heat their homes and rather than talk about it, we want to do something practical to give a helping hand to people.
"Right now, we need community more than ever. We need to come together as one community and get people through this winter.
"We are starting at the Linfield and Cliftonville game this Tuesday night where we will be stationed at the home end of the ground to give Linfield fans the opportunity to find out more about what we are doing, get involved and donate non-perishable food items and help us support food banks in the surrounding area."
Looking to the future, the team behind Fans Supporting Foodbanks NI are hoping to hand the initiative over to fans to empower them to support communities surrounding their ground.
They're hoping the common cause of helping communities through the cost of living crisis will unite football fans across the divide.
Paul said: "We want to work with and hand over this initiative over to fans and allow them to drive this going forward so that they can support people in surrounding communities to the ground.
"We would love all the Irish League clubs, GAA clubs and sporting associations to get involved and we are currently reaching out to them all.
"This is a time where we really need to pull together and ensure that people are supported this winter and beyond. The messaging from this initiative is quite powerful in the way that we are not only bringing clubs together, but most importantly, fans and communities too.
"Our slogan is 'Poverty Doesn't Wear Club Colours' and already we have seen incredible solidarity, not charity from local sporting clubs. All clubs can get involved in this and help support food banks and local charities providing vital services in their area.
"This is about looking beyond football rivalries and about solidarity with people right across communities."
Fans Supporting Foodbanks NI will be at Windsor Park on Tuesday, November 8, from 5.30pm onwards.
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