Kindhearted football fans brought donations to support foodbanks in Glasgow ahead of Rangers’ Champions League clash with Liverpool.
Supporters travelling from Merseyside for the match at Ibrox on Wednesday brought the food aboard the Liverpool Spirit of Shankly coach.
Rangers and Celtic fans will help distribute the supplies to food pantries around Govanhill, Ruchazie and Castlemilk today.
Fans backing the scheme gathered on Edmonton Drive outside the stadium to hand over the provisions in the hours before the game.
Fans Supporting Foodbanks teamed up with trade unionists from Unite to organise the initiative.
Unite cited research conducted by polling firm Survation across seven Glasgow constituencies which revealed “shocking” figures.
More than 152,000 residents – some 24 per cent - reported experiencing “moderate to severe” levels of food poverty, it found.
Working with football supporters is part of Unite’s grassroots strategy called ‘Unite for a Workers’ Economy’.
The union says this movement is about bringing change to “heartland” communities following the failure of politicians to act.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “There is one thing fans can agree on; hunger doesn’t wear club colours.
“But the levels of food poverty in our communities is disgraceful. Politicians should be ashamed for allowing hunger to grip our communities on this scale, so we are joining forces and taking matters into our own hands.
“This is an important initiative and it’s just the beginning.
“Unite intends to build power in our workplaces and simultaneously organise in our communities.
“Unite will establish permanent bases on the ground in Glasgow to work with workers within their communities to deliver an economy that works for them.”
Unite for a Workers’ Economy’ launched with a national billboard campaign across key “battleground” seats up and down the UK, including in Glasgow, Grimsby, Hull, Leigh, Barrow, Workington, Morecombe, Derby and Crawley.
Fans Supporting Foodbanks on Merseyside arranged for the delivery of food, part-donated and part-purchased by FSF Merseyside and Unite the Union.
The shipment arrived by coach alongside fans attending the Champions League group match.
The supplies will be distributed today by Scottish Fans Supporting Foodbanks, which includes fans from both Old Firm teams.
Last month we told how Celtic and Rangers fans put aside their rivalries to collect donations for foodbanks before a derby.
Supporters from both sides gathered outside Parkhead to collect donations. They came together under the Fans Supporting Foodbanks banner to accept bags of supplies.
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