Livingston Football Club have teamed up with West Lothian Foodbank to ask fans attending games to bring along a donation for local people in need over the festive period.

Prior to their home games against St Mirren on Saturday, December 8 and Hearts on Friday, December 14, the club are inviting supporters of both teams who are attending the games to bring vital items required to help West Lothian residents facing crisis ahead of the Christmas period.

The foodbank is asking supporters to bring vital items such as tinned cold meat, tinned vegetables, diluting juice, toilet rolls, soap powder, washing up liquid, deodorant and tin openers.

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There will be a clearly marked designated drop off station outside the stadium on match day for supporters to donate items.

The foodbank, a member of The Trussell Trust’s network, which reported a 12 per cent increase in referrals over the last six months, believes that the local increase is due to people struggling with continued issues with benefit payments, insecure work and low incomes.

As part of a national network campaigning for change, the foodbank is working hard to offer practical emergency support to help prevent people affected going hungry over Christmas and beyond.

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West Lothian Foodbank manager, Kathleen Neilly said: “We are extremely grateful to Livingston FC and its supporters for thinking of us at Christmas. No one in West Lothian should need to use a foodbank and we want to see an end to local people requiring emergency food.

“We are dedicated to ensuring that people in our community with no money for food are able to access emergency support, and that has only been possible in the last year because of the incredible generosity shown by the local community in donating food, time and funds.”

Livingston FC director, John Ward, added: “Foodbanks are an unfortunate aspect of our society, but we are delighted to be involved and support the work that the Foodbank does in the community for those most in need, especially over the festive period. We encourage all fans to join us.”