Durham Women FC confirm that over £2,400 was raised by their supporters as part of the #ENDCHILDFOODPOVERTY campaign.
The club asked for donations from viewers of four of their live-streamed fixtures and the response was a four-figure sum, which will be distributed down two avenues.
The initial target of £1,000 will be distributed to schools, community groups and families in County Durham and the remaining sum raised will be donated to REfUSE, a community group based in Chester-le-Street.
REfUSE take food supplies that would otherwise go to waste and ensure they are distributed through their ‘Pay What You Decide’ shops to help households all over the County – with over 70,000 meals provided across County Durham in 2020.
Explaining the impact the donations from our supporters will have, Mim Skinner of REfUSE said: ‘We’re really excited to open up our new hub in Grange Villa. It’s already been so popular and is another resource to make sure good food feeds bellies, not bins.’
Durham Women assistant general manager Dawn Hepple, who spearheaded the initiative within the club, added: “We are delighted to be associated with REfUSE and to be able to fund this fantastic project – as well as donating the original pledge of £1,000 to Durham County Council.
“I have watched their progress on social media and they were one of the first charities that I wanted us to work alongside when we realised we had raised much more than expected. With COVID restrictions it’s harder for people to go to their facility in Chester-le-Street so they are taking the project out to them!”
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