Luton Town Football Club

The Luton-based organisation, whose head office is in High Town were selected by the Club’s charity committee, ahead of 28 other applicants for the prestigious partnership.

This year, we received more applications than ever before, from a wide range of organisations of all sizes, supporting many excellent causes. The process of selection for the Club charity of the year is a rigorous one, with each application scored against specific criteria. But in the end, the decision to work with Luton Foodbank this year was a unanimous one.

Luton Foodbank’s aims are clear – to eradicate food poverty in Luton and to support people so that they can take steps to overcome the problems that brought them to the charity.

Luton Foodbank is run entirely for the benefit of people in and around Luton who need emergency food and are committed to helping those in genuine need. They are a not-for-profit organisation and are not aligned to any one faith group or community.

The charity provide free, nutritionally balanced, and culturally appropriate food to people in hardship or distress who are referred by a network of partner agencies, and help to signposting information to local advice and information services.

In doing so, Luton Foodbank endeavour to promote:

• healthy eating
• local opportunities for food growing
• the development of a community food purchasing scheme
• co-operative working
• social cohesion
• the principles of Fair Trade

David Wilkinson, Chairman of Luton Town FC said “We’re delighted to be working alongside Luton Foodbank this season, and doing what we can to support this important charity. Since our ‘Charities of the Year’ programme began in 2015, we’ve helped 9 fantastic local organisations to raise tens of thousands of pounds, and to grow their profile and awareness locally. I’m sure this year will be every bit as successful, and we’re delighted to be able to support the Foodbank in their work helping those in desperate need across the town.”

As in previous seasons, Luton Foodbank will benefit from a dedicated matchday – which will be on 8^th December when the Hatters play Fleetwood Town at home. Home shirt sponsors Indigo Residential have generously agreed to donate their position on the shirts to Luton Foodbank, so their logo will make way for the Foodbank’s identity for that match.”

Scott Lynn, director of Indigo Residential said: “We’re delighted that Luton Town have selected Luton Foodbank as their Club Charity of the Year, and that we’re in a position to support them by giving up our place on the shirts for the match against Fleetwood Town. As Lutonians ourselves, and a Luton-based company, we’re well aware of the fantastic work the Foodbank do to help people across our town in need of emergency help, and we’re proud to be associated with them through Luton Town this season.”

Liz Stringer, of Luton Foodbank, said: “We are pleased to be chosen as Luton Town Football Club’s Charity of the Year. Working with the Club this season will help raise the profile of the Luton Foodbank and help us as we look to alleviate food poverty in our town.

“We want to take this opportunity to thank the Club and Indigo Residential, and are looking forward to working with both ahead of what promises to be another exciting season for us all.” 

If you’re interested in getting involved in helping Luton Foodbank, you can contact them directly with regards to volunteering, or food donations via their website: http://lutonfoodbank.org.uk/contact/

If you have an idea for a fundraising initiative, we’d love to hear from you – contact Ed Smith, Marketing and Communications Manager by email.