Grassroots football club owner ‘proud and humbled’ after raising almost £800 in a week for local food bank

Hampshire Premier League club Infinity accepted a social media challenge from Bishop’s Waltham Dynamos - via the Twitter hashtag #Fridays4Foodbanks - and raised £780 since last Friday, April 3.

The money will be donated to the Meon Valley Food Bank, based in Bishop’s Waltham, to help buy items that will be distributed to those who need them.

‘The money was raised by the first team and the reserve players putting their hands in their pockets,’ said Infinity owner Jody Hoare.

‘The management also donated and some parents and family members of the players also helped out.

‘I was amazed we raised so much money - I thought it would be good to get to £500.

‘I’ve messaged the lads to say I’m proud and humbled by them.

‘This is not an easy time, and some of them have been furloughed - so to stick their hands in their pockets for others is amazing.’

The #Fridays4Foodbanks initiative was started by another Hampshire grassroots club, Compton FC, at the end of last month. The aim is either to collect food or money - or both - and donate it to a chosen food bank. Compton raised £230 - plus four bags of food - before BW Dynamos raised £305.

Compton’s cash went to the Trussell Trust, a charity covering the whole of the UK, while the Dynamos’ money, like Infinity’s, has gone to support the Meon Valley Food Bank.

Knowle Village-based Infinity today handed the fund-raising baton over to fellow HPL club Andover New Street Swifts, who in turn can nominate another club next Friday.