Six years ago, Irons Supporting Foodbanks (ISF) hadn’t yet started our matchday collections. Whilst having received the backing of West Ham United from day one, we were still in the process of liaising with Newham Council for a designated approved collection point.
There was confusion on their part… After further dialogue, they returned with an observation: “We’re a bit worried,” they said. “We think fans might use cans as weapons”. They were really reluctant. We’d always felt that Stratford Walk would be the best location for us… Initial emails to Lendlease were unanswered… We then approached LLDC, who couldn’t be more helpful, but advised us to contact LS185 who run the site on such days.
Finally, after submitting our H&S assessment and linking up with our chosen charity partner, Newham Foodbank, we were given permission for a trial run before the Leicester City game on 28th December 2019.
The Power of the Fan Family: Quarter of a Million Raised
On the day, the club came along with 14 bags of food from a staff collection, and the Met Police also donated 20 bags. Fans also brought along several £100’s-worth of food. Following this trial, we received the green light to continue collecting indefinitely.
So between then and now, we estimate that the West Ham fan family has helped us to deliver in the region of £250,000 of food to local foodbanks, some 60 tonnes, and over £2 million of new clothes received from manufacturers and the club, for distribution to homeless and community groups. For us, it’s always been about giving the fans true recognition for their support of the local community.
Recognition and Resilience: Official Charity Partner Status
The club has always supported us, and regularly reports on our events, as well as inviting us to participate in the Players’ Project each winter, and even the playing squad donates several £1,000’s of food at Christmas.
In practise, we’re just a handful of matchday volunteers collecting cash and food donations on a matchday, with a constantly growing distribution network. So, we are thrilled to report that the club has now made us an Official Charity Partner for the 2025-26 season.
It is humbling for us to be placed alongside established Charity Partners including Blesma, DT38, Ambition Aspire Achieve, Richard House and others. There are associated benefits in this partnership, with an agreed week for raising awareness and to drive fundraising through a concentrated campaign. More benefits will follow, and on behalf of the many fans who support us, and the recipients of our efforts, we are very grateful for this special partnership with West Ham United.
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