Squeeze fans urged to donate food and funds at concert collection points as band embarks on headline tour

Squeeze fans are being encouraged to donate food at their upcoming shows as the band embarks on one of their biggest headline tours this month.

Led by Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, the British band will kick off their Tried, Tested and Trixies Tour in Glasgow on November 12, where they will be joined by Billy Bragg for the 16-date run.

Alongside performing, Squeeze will also continue its longstanding commitment to supporting people struggling to afford the essentials by implementing collection points at venues throughout the tour. Concertgoers will be able to donate non-perishable food items or make financial contributions, which will go to local food banks in Trussell's community.

The initiative reinforces the band’s relationship with the charity that began in 2018, when Glenn Tilbrook first started collecting donations for Trussell at his solo shows.

Squeeze subsequently embraced the cause on their UK tours, with the generosity of their audiences helping to make a tangible difference to communities across the country.

Tilbrook said: "When I first started collecting for food banks back in 2018, I had no idea how much our fans would take it to heart. The response has been overwhelming, and I'm incredibly proud of what we've achieved together. But it's deeply troubling that, eight years later, so many people are still struggling to put food on the table. The need hasn't gone away, and neither has our determination to help. If you're coming to see us, please bring something along if you can, whether it's a few tins of food or a couple of pounds. The audiences have been brilliant in the past, and I'm hoping we can make this our biggest collection yet."

The appeal comes as food banks across the UK continue to face enormous pressure, with winter traditionally bringing increased demand as households struggle with the rising costs of heating, food and other essentials.

Figures published by Trussell revealed that food banks in its community provided more than 2.6 million emergency food parcels last year, which is the equivalent to one parcel every 12 seconds and an increase of 45 per cent compared with the same period before the pandemic.

To date, fans attending Squeeze and Glenn Tilbrook shows have donated an extraordinary 5.15 tons of food and raised £72,552 for Trussell's community of food banks.

Emma Revie, co-chief executive of Trussell, said: “Too many people this winter will be struggling to make ends meet, as families are forced to make impossible decisions like whether to put food on the table or turn their heating on.

“Shockingly, we expect our community of food banks to distribute around 600,000 emergency food parcels to people facing hunger and hardship this winter. This isn’t right, and we refuse to stand by while so many of us can’t afford to eat, keep warm and pay the bills.

“That’s why we are so grateful to Squeeze for supporting Trussell once again on their upcoming tour. The band and their fans generosity will make a huge difference and allow our food banks to continue providing vital support to people without enough money to live on.”

Chris Difford added: "Our fans have been absolutely incredible in the way they've supported Trussell over the years. It's genuinely moving to see people arriving at our shows carrying bags of food, knowing that what they've brought will help someone in the local community. We've always been very lucky to have such loyal and generous audiences, and this is another reminder of just how special they are. We're hoping everyone will get behind the collections again on this tour. Even a small donation can make a real difference."

The band will perform at Guildhall, in Portsmouth, on Thursday, December 3, with the bar and kitchen open from 6.15pm - click here for more information on how to get tickets.

For more information about the Squeeze tour, click here.