Hartlepool fan's half-term breakfast campaign sees footballers and community rally round to feed children

A Hartlepool United fan used the power of social media and teamed up with the club to take in donations which quickly flooded in from businesses and individuals all over town.

Food stuffs including cereal, cereal bars, bread, milk and juice piled up at the club’s Victoria Lounge on Monday ready to be distributed to anyone in need on Tuesday, October 27.

All the Hartlepool United staff and players also contributed and several of the players bought two trolleys of food from Morrisons supermarket.

It is to provide families with a week’s worth of breakfasts for their children during the school half term and builds on Manchester United player Marcus Rashford’s campaign to end child food poverty.

The breakfast project was the idea of a passionate Pools fan, who wished to remain anonymous, and is known on Twitter as Loachies Coach.

He said: “I think the club is the heartbeat of the town. I thought that with Marcus Rashford’s campaign and what we know about deprivation in the town if I could get everyone together we could help those most in need.

"I made contact with Alex Chandy in the media department and the club chaplain Chris Stottard and the club said they totally support it and were happy to host it and offer their facilities.

"The idea is to be able to provide a good breakfast for kids for the whole week. We’ve had lots of donations from local businesses and individuals.

"People have changed their holiday plans in order to come down. We’ve got masses of stuff which is going to help a lot of people.”

Various organisations including local church food banks and community charities have also got on board to help distribute the food right across the town.

The food will be given out at the club between 9am-11am on Tuesday, October 27.

Packed lunches for children are also being available from Holy Trinity Church in West View from 12.30pm every day this week.

A petition started by Rashford for free meals to be extended in England over the school holidays has passed 800,000 signatures, piling further pressure on the Government to act.

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