West Ham double commitment to Holiday Hunger programme with £100,000 pledged by end of 2021
West Ham have vowed to continue to support community efforts to address the impact of coronavirus and help alleviate food poverty; total investments for all community projects set to reach £28m in 2021
Wednesday 16 December 2020 10:19, UK
West Ham are doubling their commitment to the Holiday Hunger programme with £100,000 set to be pledged towards the project by the end of 2021.
The club have united to support campaigns in the community, including donating to Newham Foodbank through Irons Supporting Foodbanks, as well as the Newham Christmas Toy Appeal and Dagenham Council's Christmas Cheer campaign.
These funds will be combined with donations from the club's supporters.
West Ham have also announced the club is on track to deliver pledges made a year ago, which included a further £10m for the community, an increase of £5m on its initial pledge, giving a forecasted investment of £28m by the end of 2021.
- Manchester United and FareShare to provide 80,000 meals over Christmas
- West Ham joint-chairman David Sullivan donates £25k to Marcus Rashford's campaign
A West Ham club statement said: "This year, the club has partnered with local NHS Trusts to support them through the pandemic, and has provided them with shirts, signed framed prints, calls to patients and doctors, as well as support for their vital campaigns.
"Throughout November and December, Hammers fans have been generously reaching into their pockets to help vital local projects such as the Newham Foodbank and Barking and Dagenham's Christmas Cheer campaign.
"Players and management wanted to join forces with fans, to continue to help the campaigns, with their own donations following joint-chairman David Sullivan's support throughout 2020, with more than £30,000 provided to Newham Foodbank, including the finance of a delivery van, and a £25,000 donation to FareShare UK towards free meals through the Child Food Poverty Taskforce, founded by the inspiring Marcus Rashford MBE.
"In addition, the club is donating over 1,000 toys to local children - to the Newham Christmas Toy Appeal and to Barking and Dagenham's Christmas Cheer campaign, so that as many children as possible have presents to wake up to on Christmas morning."
Discussing the club's current efforts to help alleviate some of the pressing social issues in the community, West Ham vice-chairman Baroness Karren Brady added: "Despite the challenging year that everyone has faced, the Board were clear that this investment in the community is needed more than ever and the club's commitments to the community are unwavering.
"Poverty, loneliness, mental health and inequality are all key issues which the club is focused on combating.
"The supporters have been fantastic in their help for the local foodbanks, and we also have a whole-club effort behind these campaigns - everyone from our backroom staff, to the players and manager supports these incredible causes."
