Andy Burnham has reaffirmed his support for the Fans Supporting Foodbanks campaign, the Right to Food.
Fans Supporting Foodbanks originated as a joint initiative between rival Liverpool and Everton supporters, founded in 2015 to tackle food poverty in Liverpool.
This inspired MCFC (Manchester City Football Club) Fans Foodbank Support, founded in 2020, and the MUFC (Manchester United Football Club) Fans’ Foodbank.
Both home and away supporters donate food every home game.
The MP for Liverpool West Derby, Ian Byrne, is leading on the Right to Food campaign in Parliament to make access to food a legal right for all.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester spoke passionately on the subject at Salford Loaves and Fishes – a charity which he agreed was crucial to alleviating food poverty.
Burnham said: “I support wholeheartedly Fans Supporting Foodbanks.
“I have seen their growth over the years, and they are one of those organisations of the voluntary welfare state that should not have to exist perhaps, but they do, and they are needed, and we cannot lose them.”
Fans Supporting Foodbanks provides a quarter of all food donations to north Liverpool food banks.
“I personally support the Right to Food which has been a Fans Supporting Foodbanks campaign,” he added.
“Right to homes, right to food, good, personalised, everyday support is not complicated.
“I have left Westminster where everyone sometimes looks from the top down and just sees numbers.
“When you are Mayor of Greater Manchester, you see names, not numbers.
“You come at it from the bottom up. If you ditch the punitive sanctions-based approach, sanctions possibly will still be needed for someone who really will not engage, but if you come at it as positive, person-centred approach, you will get better results.”
Feature Image: Crossing The Park Charity Book Launch in support of Fans Supporting Foodbanks. Image by Mark Strickland for MM.
