This is our latest newsletter update on the various activities we have been involved in recently.

SUPPORTERS BOARD

The Supporters Board launched on 17 August. The main aspect is that we, on behalf of supporters, will be informed of proposed major changes, consulted on significant proposals and able to say yes, or no, on existential issues affecting LFC, such as joining a breakaway league. Crucially this is embedded in the club’s Articles of Association, effectively future proofing if and when there is a change of ownership. These are exciting, ground-breaking times. We are grateful for the input we have already had from supporters and assure them these issues will be raised with LFC in due course.

DROP-IN ADVICE SERVICE

We have helped establish a drop-in Advice Centre in the Anfield area. Financially supported by SOS, The Vauxhall Community Law Information Centre provides free benefit and debt advice. Sessions are based in Homebaked on Oakfield Road on Mondays between 10am and 12.30pm, with an average of two people attending per session. Although the number appears low, it allows adequate time for the advisor to help the individual properly complete PIP/ESA claim forms or investigate UC problems, and the debt team fill in Income and Expenditure forms. To date, we have assisted 34 individuals with issues relating to benefits and prepared cases for six others so that they can apply for a debt relief order – three of whom required urgent housing advice (including homelessness and rat infestation). We have also provided guidance for four others on family law, employment and probate.

MOBILE PANTRY

SOS fully funds a mobile pantry based at Lodge Lane in Toxteth. Organised and delivered by the Greenhouse Project volunteers and members of Fans Supporting Foodbanks, the mobile pantry has provided food to approximately 17,000 family members since it was launched in May 2021 and distributed donations of clothes and shoes. Particular highlights this past year include hosting 16 organisations that want to make a difference in the local community and celebrating six of our volunteers gaining employment. The 16 organisations are The Life Rooms, Smokefree Liverpool, Liverpool FC Foundation, Everton in the Community, NHS Diabetes testing, Windows Project, Save the NHS, NHS Services, New Start Housing Organisation, Vauxhall Law Centre, Moulana Community, Feeding Liverpool, James Place, First Person Project CIC, LJMU and Sefton Park Rangers FC.

HELP IS HERE

Recently, we dropped in at Morrisons, Speke. We may have stopped the weekly food drops, but our bond and friendship with the staff there continues. In particular we wanted to say thanks and good luck to one of our main contacts, Holly. She is pregnant and we wanted to give her a small token of our appreciation. While we were there they donated a trolley of food that was passed by ourselves to Halewood Voices. Morrissons and their staff have helped SOS enormously over the past two-and-a-half years, particularly during lockdown with our food drops, and as well as that particular food trolley donation, they have also promised £300 worth of vouchers over the coming weeks.

AWAY MATCH TRAVEL

We continue to organise travel to all LFC away matches in the UK for our members. Last season we actually put on 2 coaches to all three Wembley games and we also ran a coach to the CL final in Paris for only £155.

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