Our league fixture against Airdrie on November 1 at McDiarmid Park has been designated as our annual ‘Focus on Foodbanks’ match.
The fantastic team at Saints Fans Supporting Foodbanks are an ever-present at our home games and accept donations in front of the Ormond Stand for Perth and Kinross Foodbank and Saints in the Community.
We hope that this latest Focus on Foodbanks event will raise further awareness among football fans and the wider community on the current plight of and demands on foodbanks throughout the country.
With a big push from home and away supporters, it is hoped that donations of stock can be maximised for the local foodbank to support them meet the demands they face over the course of the winter.
Saints Fans Supporting Foodbanks – and the club – are determined to do our bit for the community we love and give local foodbank stock a boost to assist them over the next few months and beyond.
Saints Fans Supporting Foodbanks coordinator, Colin MacKay, said: “As a group, we want to thank the board of St Johnstone Football Club for their continued support and giving us this opportunity.
“We ask a lot of the fans, who support our collections week in, week out, but we hope as many fans as possible will get behind the Focus on Foodbanks Match, and we can achieve a bumper collection. We’d also appeal to local businesses/workplaces to organise staff/customer collections in the run up to the match.
“We recognise that many people may not wish or be able to attend the match but still want to make a food or toiletries donation.
“If this is the case, they can still drop off donation at the St Johnstone Club Shop at McDiarmid Park between 10am and 4pm from Tuesday to Friday each week.”
Since their very first matchday collection on April 1st, 2023, St Johnstone Fans Supporting Foodbanks have collected around 15,000kg of food and toiletries donations, from big hearted football fans, for Perth and Kinross Foodbank.
Colin added: “While 15,000kg seems a massive amount, it barely scratches the surface of the needs of the local foodbank.
“During September alone, Perth and Kinross Foodbank fulfilled 401 3*day emergency food parcels, supporting 780 people, including 237 children. That amounted to 5,596kg of food shared with people, who needed a helping hand, across Perth and Kinross.
“This was their busiest month of the year so far, and it is anticipated that demand will only increase over the winter months as temperatures drop.”
Saints Fans Supporting Foodbanks accept donations outside the Ormond Stand (near the club shop) every home matchday from 1.30pm-2.45pm. Our website matchday preview will highlight the list of most-needed items.
