Why Global Citizens Should Care 
The UN's Global Goals work together to end extreme poverty globally by 2030. Homelessness and hunger are both issues addressed by the goals, through Goal 2 for achieving zero hunger and Goal 11 for the creation of cities and communities that are sustainable. Football has great power to engage people with social issues, and high-profile gestures like this are a great example of communities working together to help achieve the Global Goals. Join the movement by taking action here to help end extreme poverty by 2030. 

When heavy rain forced Saturday’s match against Reading FC to be postponed, Nottingham Forest stepped up to make sure that none of the match day food went to waste. 

The Championship game at County Ground had to be delayed — but it meant that there were loads of pies, pasties, and sandwiches that looked set to be dumped. 

Instead of letting it contribute to the UK’s already astonishing amount of food waste, the club chose to donate it to a Nottingham-based charity that works to support people who are homeless. 

And by the end of Saturday, the club had donated the food to the charity Framework and managed to hand out around 3,000 food parcels.  

Forest’s CFO Samantha Gordon and Community CEO Graham Moran also helped in handing out the food parcels, according to the team’s Twitter page. 

People on social media were loving the gesture to help tackle the joint issues of food waste and rising homelessness in the UK.

“I love what this club has become,” wrote one. “It’s every bit as important as what happens on the pitch as far as I’m concerned.” 

Another added: “Well done all at NFFC! A kind gesture that puts a bit of faith back into human kindness.” 

A third wrote: “I know nothing about football, but I know a club worth of its fans when I see one.” 

Homelessness and rough sleeping are rising in the UK at an alarming rate. In 2018, according to analysis from the charity Shelter, 320,000 people were recorded as homeless in Britain. 

It’s a rise of about 13,000 — or 4% — on the previous year’s figures, the BBC reported — and equivalent to about 36 people becoming homeless every day. 

Meanwhile, the UK sends around 15 million tonnes of food to landfill every year — at a cost of about £15 billion. 

What’s more, globally, a third of all food produced for human consumption — around 1.3 billion tonnes — is going to waste, while at the same time around 820 million people don’t have enough to eat. 

Fans of Nottingham Forest can contribute to the club’s work in support of Framework, however, by getting involved with the charity’s Big Sleep Out 2019, on the night of Nov. 23. 

“Taking part in our flagship fundraising event is a great way to show you care, learn more, and raise vital funds,” says Framework on its Eventbrite page. 

All funds raised from the night will go towards tackling rough sleeping in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, it adds, "getting people off the streets, supporting them into accommodation, and empowering them to live stable, independent lives."

TopicsUKBritainHomelessnessFood WasteEnglandHomelessRough SleepingFootballNottingham

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Defeat Poverty

This UK Football Club Just Donated 3,000 Food Parcels to Support Homeless People

By Imogen Calderwood