Goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski has praised generous Ipswich Town fans for donating items to a foodbank so it could provide free food parcels to those who needed them most over Christmas.
Families in Need (FIND) hosted a foodbank at the club’s FanZone at its Portman Road ground for the Blues’ clash against Wigan in December.
The Ipswich-based charity supports all those in need, regardless of faith or circumstance, by providing free food parcels and personal care items - and had warned in the weeks before Christmas that its help was needed more than ever as demand for support soared.
The need for food parcels has risen year on year and FIND now distributes an average of 70 parcels every week and even more close to Christmas – in total more than 5,000 every year.
Now Bialkowski has met members of FIND at Portman Road to find out more about the charity’s work.
“It’s important for the club to be out in the community,” Bart said.
“It’s a very generous gesture from all the Town fans who donated to help people in need.”
Maureen Reynel, founder and chairman of FIND, said: “It’s really lovely to see that even though the club are not doing so well, they can rise above that and care about people who are in need.
“All the food donated will be made into food parcels before being taken to people in and around Ipswich - we thank the club and the fans for their support.”
Ms Reynel said demand for the parcels has doubled in 2018, with even more families reaching out for help on the run up to Christmas.
Despite enjoying the hard work and the company of her loyal team of volunteers, it is a service she says she would prefer not to have to provide.
She said: “The new unemployment figures are another indication that the numbers in need is rising, it is widespread.
“There’s a huge increase in individuals and families in need.
“So many people are isolated too, people of all ages.
“The numbers have gone up, a lot of people are waiting for Universal Credit which can take at least five weeks.
“I have also noticed there are so many single men and women in need.”
To support the charity, visit www.findipswich.org.uk
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