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December 9, 2022
The EFL (English Football League) has a new initiative to help with the current cost-of-living crisis in the UK through support to the communities and fans of its 72 League Clubs. ‘Together – Supporting Communities’ will see EFL Clubs provide community services and matchday offers to help with the challenging economic circumstances and will contribute to the Government’s ‘Help for Households’ initiative.
The cost-of-living crisis refers to the country’s inflation level, which affects the cost of everyday essentials like groceries and bills, which are rising faster than average household incomes. Food costs rose by 13% in August and during this time one in six households was already in serious financial difficulty with consequences for their health. Nearly half of UK adults report a worsening mental state due to the cost-of-living crisis.
In response, EFL Clubs and their respective Club Community Organisations (CCOs) have already rolled out a variety of efforts, with foodbanks, clothing donations and even ‘heat hubs’ for members of disadvantaged communities in England and Wales.
“Providing a warm stadium for a coffee morning, a regular food bank or clothing collections, ‘Together – Supporting Communities will offer real tangible help for those people hit hardest by the cost-of-living crisis within our communities,” said EFL Chief Executive, Trevor Birch.
EFL partners eBay, Lifebuoy and Papa Johns will also provide ticketing and food offers for the rest of the season to local community members who may not usually be able to attend EFL fixtures. Each EFL Club will offer its own unique initiatives and programs to reach followers such as:
- Bradford City will launch ‘City Hub’ food bank in January 2023 to support families with weekly food packages
- Bristol City will offer discounted tickets for selected fixtures in January and February
- Cambridge United holds ‘Forever United Café’, which runs twice a week to provide a warm space for local people
- Ipswich Town will be collecting donations of warm clothing for others to use in the community with its ‘FIND a Warmer Community’ program
- Middlesbrough will be inviting people into the stadium for a hot drink, warm room, free WIFI and a place to chat as part of its ‘Warm Welcome Project’
- Rochdale has a foodbank service and debt advice support in its ‘One Stop Bus’ initiative
- Rotherham United will offer warm spaces and support for families and individuals this winter through its Every Miller Matters program. Running three days a week, the space is open to anyone wanting to stay warm, charge their electronics and have a warm cup of coffee or bowl of soup
“Clubs are nothing without their fans and in difficult times it is great to see clubs reaching out to help their followers with so much support,” said Sports Minister, Stuart Andrew. “Football clubs are the heart and soul of their communities and this new initiative with the EFL shows the true value of these community assets.”
See all the initiatives offered by EFL Clubs here.
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