Liverpool Football Club’s official charity, LFC Foundation, and Forever Reds, the club’s official former players association, have come together to donate £5,000 to Fans Supporting Foodbanks, after one of the charity’s fundraising buckets was stolen outside Anfield.

Fans Supporting Foodbanks have become an integral part of the matchday experience at Anfield, bringing supporters together to help those most in need. The theft of the bucket ahead of the Paris Saint-Germain game led to an immediate outpouring of support from the local community, with the LFC family keen to play their part.

The donation reflects the club’s long-standing commitment to supporting local communities and recognises the vital work Fans Supporting Foodbanks do to tackle food poverty across Liverpool and beyond, particularly on matchdays.

Matt Parish, LFC Foundation CEO, said: “Fans Supporting Foodbanks are an outstanding example of the power of football to make a positive difference in our communities. Their volunteers give so much of their time to help others, and the work they do is more important than ever. We’re proud to support them alongside Forever Reds and to stand with them following this incident.”

LFC Foundation supported 145,617 people last season alone, with more than half of the participants from the top 20 per cent most-deprived areas in the country, reflecting the Foundation's focus on communities with the greatest need.

Through Red Neighbours, LFC Foundation also donated more than £500,000 worth of essential food hampers, stadium tours and matchday experiences last season and supported the delivery of 1,000 free meals per week, prepared by the LFC kitchens, to community members.

Forever Reds Chair, John Aldridge, added: “I’m incredibly proud that Forever Reds can support this great cause. Fans Supporting Foodbanks do unbelievable work week in, week out, and when something like this happens, it’s important that we all pull together and show what Liverpool Football Club is really about. This is a brilliant initiative run by amazing people, and we’re delighted to be able to help.”

Forever Reds was created by the club to ensure former Liverpool players always feel part of the LFC family – providing support, involving them in community activities and uniting them to raise funds for local charitable causes in partnership with LFC Foundation. To date, Forever Reds has donated more than £340,000 to local charities and communities. Alder Hey Children's Charity recently received a second donation of £25,000 (£50,000 in total) to help finance a new Surgical Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and a £25,000 donation helped LFC Foundation reach more families than ever before over the festive period, with a record number of Christmas food hampers delivered to local residents.