Outrage as Liverpool Foodbank Collection Stolen at Anfield in 'Deplorable' Act
A foodbank collection bucket was stolen outside Anfield ahead of Liverpool's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain, leaving charity supporters furious and labelling the incident as 'deplorable'. The theft, which was captured on CCTV, occurred during a collection by Fans Supporting Foodbanks, a unique partnership between Liverpool and Everton supporters' clubs.
Charity's Decade-Long Efforts Targeted
Fans Supporting Foodbanks, founded in 2015, is a registered charity that has been collecting donations at Anfield, Goodison Park, and the Hill Dickinson Stadium for over ten years. The initiative supports local foodbanks and pantries across Liverpool, helping to tackle food insecurity in the community. Through eight pantry locations, the charity feeds up to 2,500 people each week, with local residents signing up and paying a small weekly fee to receive essential food supplies.
After the theft, the charity took to social media to express their dismay. In a post on X, they stated: "After over 10 years of foodbank collections at Anfield, Goodison Park and the HDS some chancer took the opportunity to steal our collection bucket this evening. Shame on you, I hope your need is greater than the people we feed & the CCTV images are as clear as can be."
Public Condemnation and Calls for Justice
The incident has sparked widespread outrage on social media, with many condemning the theft as a low act. One person commented: "Deplorable to steal from charity. Lower than low," while another added: "There is a reason why they have but it doesn't outweigh the reasons why they shouldn't have. Hopefully they get caught and are able to explain their actions fully. This isn't ok."
Further reactions included calls for donations to compensate for the loss, with a supporter saying: "We need to get a donation going for this. Stealing from honest vulnerable people." Redmen TV also weighed in, calling the act "disgusting."
Grassroots Origins and Political Advocacy
The charity was established by Everton supporters Dave Kelly and Robbie Daniels, alongside Liverpool fan and current West Derby MP Ian Byrne. It has grown from a grassroots effort—starting with a wheelie bin collection outside the Winslow pub opposite Goodison Park—into a formal organisation with a board of trustees.
Dave Kelly, elected Chair, reflected: "When Robbie, Ian and I first stood outside the Winslow pub opposite Goodison Park with a wheelie bin to collect food, we never thought that ten years later we'd still be doing what we do. Although we are now a registered charity, with a board of trustees and on a formal footing, we remain a grassroots organisation embedded in our football fan communities, trying to do our bit to help our neighbours."
Ian Byrne highlighted the political dimension of their work, stating: "When we set up FSF in 2015, it was both a practical sticking plaster to address the hunger we saw in our communities, and a recognition of the need for a political solution. The catastrophe of hunger and poverty in our communities is the direct result of political choices made by successive governments."
The theft has underscored the ongoing challenges faced by charities addressing food poverty, even as they continue their vital work in supporting vulnerable individuals across Liverpool.
