Dale distributes care packs to community warehouse

Community Trust Manager Siobhan McElhinney, Rochdale AFC players Kwadwo Baah, Jimmy Ryan and Matty Done (back row) along with kitman Jack Northover (front right) delivered care packs to the Community Warehouse at Sparth Community Centre

Rochdale AFC players Jimmy Ryan, Kwadwo Baah and Matty Done, kitman Jack Northover and Community Trust Manager Siobhan McElhinney have delivered 50 care packs to the Community Warehouse at Sparth Community Centre which will be distributed by foodbanks and pantries across the borough.

Julie Durrant, from Action Together, was on hand to take in the donations and give the players a tour of the facility, showing how the Food Solutions Network – part of Action Together – is tackling hunger and food poverty in the borough.

The packs, put together by Rochdale AFC Community Trust following a donation from Action Together, will complement the regular ‘at home’ activities that are being delivered as part of the Premier League Primary Stars and Premier League Kicks initiatives by the club’s charitable trust.

The packs are made up of footballs, sports equipment, water bottles, gym bags, reading books and note pads, which will be given to those in need.

Ryan Bradley, Community Director, said: “The pandemic has affected so many people and the need for families to be supported in Rochdale is greater now more than ever.

“The care packs are just one way in which we at Rochdale AFC in the Community Trust are trying to lead the recovery from the virus locally and it’s great to have the support of the first team players and staff.”

Rochdale AFC Community Trust have also established a Community Food Pantry at the Crown Oil Arena, providing free food parcels and low cost shopping to those who need it as well as distributing hundreds of free footballs to youngsters across the Borough as part of their Call for a Ball campaign.

The first team players have also recorded messages of support for various Covid related campaigns.

Bradley continued: “We can’t wait to get fans back to the stadium and get out there working in communities again.

“As a charity, we [Rochdale AFC Community Trust] have been fortunate enough to offer staff vaccines which will allow us to deliver further front line services, such as helping with mass testing at schools.

“If we all play our part, I’m sure we can get back to some sort of normality.”