A new food drop-off point for people to donate food for those most at need during the Covid-19 pandemic is opening at Derby County’s Pride Park Stadium today (Thursday 16th April).


It is one of the many initiatives aimed at helping supporters, the local community and those in need during these difficult times.

Endorsed and supported by manager Phillip Cocu, his coaching staff and the players, Stay Safe. Stay Fit. Stay Connected is a wide-ranging programme of help, advice and measures from Derby County Football Club to support communities across the city.

Stay Safe involves helping with the city’s major relief efforts, including providing food donations to those most in need. The club has provided space to set up the food drop-off point at Pride Park Stadium, in partnership with the Derby Food Forum network and Derby County Community Trust, to collect donations from the public.

The food drop-off point, which will be located in the West Stand Car Park, will officially launch on Thursday 16th April and donations will be accepted between 10am-2pm on every Monday and Thursday for the foreseeable future, staffed by volunteers from the Club and Community Trust.

A full list of items required can be found near the bottom of this article.

Please Note:Members of the public are urged to only drop off food items as part of their essential journey and strict social distancing measures will always need to be adhered to at all times.

Derby County and ClubDCFC, through a strategic partnership with Delaware North which delivers corporate hospitality and events at Pride Park Stadium, have already donated food items which were purchased for concourse sale for upcoming matches such as crisps, chocolate and soft drinks.

Once all donations have been received, workers from the Community Trust and volunteers from Derby County will begin helping to deliver food parcels to those who may be struggling to access or purchase food.

Food from the drop-off point at Pride Park Stadium will then be provided to the ten Food Hubs opening across the city, all run by the Derby Food Forum network as part of the Derby Covid Community response Hub, to ensure the demand for food parcels can be met across the local community.

Any individuals that are unable to physically visit the food drop-off point but wish to make a financial contribution are advised to contact Paul Brookhouse, who is the Project Co-ordinator for the

Derby Food Forum Covid Co-ordination, on [email protected].

Want to know more about Derby City Council’s Food Forum distribution work? Find out all the key information here:

derby.gov.uk/food-forum-launches-distribution-effort-for-those-in-need/.

In addition to the food drop-off point, the Derby County Community Trust’s offices on Pride Park have been offered to the University Hospitals Of Derby And Burton NHS Foundation Trust’s midwifery team.

This will allow midwifery staff to stage all city-based pre and post pregnancy appointments.

Derby County Community Trust’s Head of Community, Simon Carnall, said: “We are delighted that Derby County Football Club and Derby County Community Trust can add their weight to the vital relief effort going on across the city and lend our support, be it through the food drop-off point, providing space for the midwifery team, or volunteers from the Club and Trust delivering food packages.

“As always, we are determined to help make a difference to our local community and these are times where everyone is pulling together, which is great to see.”

The items the Derby Food Forum network have specifically requested:

TINNED SOUP - Traditional flavours such as Tomato, Vegetable, Chicken & Mushroom etc

BAKED BEANS

TINNED TOMATOES

SPAGHETTI - Other tinned pasta EG Ravioli/Macaroni Cheese

PASTA SAUCE – Ideally Tomato

HOT MEAT - Tins of meat EG Stewing Steak, Meatballs, Curry etc

COLD MEAT - Tins of cooked meat EG Ham, Corned Beef etc

FISH - Tinned EG Tuna

VEGETABLES - Tins of sweetcorn, carrots, peas, potatoes, kidney beans/pulses

DESSERTS - Creamed rice, steamed puddings, tinned fruit

NOODLES - Packet flavoured noodles

PASTA - Dried pasta 500g-1kg packs

RICE -500g-1kg size packs

TEA BAGS

COFFEE

PACKET SOUPS

PRESERVES -Jam, Marmalade, Honey, Chocolate Spread, Peanut Butter

BISCUITS

CEREALS - Ideally Weetabix or variety packs due to size

MILK - Cartons – 500ml & 1ltr UHT

SUGAR

What Is Stay Safe. Stay Fit, Stay Connected.?

Stay Safe involves helping the people and communities in Derby who really need it, by supporting the wider co-ordinated relief effort in a variety of ways.

Stay Fit entails keeping in good physical and, of course, mental shape with exercises and well-being videos from the club’s players and specialist fitness experts.

Stay Connected with regular lighthearted player interviews, Curtis Davies helping with personal dilemmas, fun activities with Craig Forsyth’s family and a lively, upbeat chat with Shay Given.

Content is being posted via club channels daily for everyone to Stay Safe. Stay Fit. Stay Connected.

What Is The Derby Food Forum Network?

The Derby Food Forum Network is a subgroup of the Derby Covid Community Response Hub, which is the city’s collective response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

It is a collaborative response involving organisations including Derby City Council, the University of Derby, Community Action Derby, Derby Homes, Thrive Derby and Derby County Football Club, amongst others, to help those most in need during the crisis.