RUNCORN'S two senior football clubs are teaming up by asking fans at their Easter Monday derby match to come together in support of Runcorn Foodbank.

Runcorn Linnets entertain local rivals Runcorn Town in the North West Counties League Premier Division on Bank Holiday Monday, April 21st (kick off 3.00pm) and spectators at the game are being invited to donate groceries to the charity, which offers emergency food to Runcorn families in need.

Runcorn Foodbank is run by The Trussell Trust in conjunction with Runcorn Churches Together, led by Hope Corner Community Church in Church Street, Runcorn.

Since launching in November 2012 and thanks to volunteer staff and public generosity, it has provided more than 3,000 crisis-hit people in the town with emergency food. Many of those it has helped are children and vulnerable adults. With demand for its services having recently risen by 170%, Runcorn Foodbank needs more donations than ever of non-perishable food - from pastas to puddings.

The idea for the initiative involving the two football clubs came from Runcorn Linnets supporter, Tony Waddington. A former Linnets club secretary and Trust Board member, he will be co-ordinating the collection of food at the match.

A donation point is being set up inside The Millbank Linnets Stadium in Murdishaw Avenue, Runcorn in an area between the clubhouse and pitch.

In the build-up to the match, supporters of Linnets and Town are being urged to put some extra items in their shopping baskets to hand over or alternatively, bring along to the game any suitable items they may have stored in their larders or kitchen cupboards.

Runcorn Foodbank operates at various locations in the town on Monday to Friday each week (excluding Bank Holidays). Vouchers issued to those in crisis by care professionals, charities and other agencies such as housing associations and church organisations are exchanged for a three-day food supply.

These are redeemable at a foodbank centre, from where clients are also signposted to agencies for longer-term support with their problems.

The Trussell Trust has launched 114 new foodbanks since January 2013, bringing the total to 408. In that time, more than 700,000 crisis-hit people have been provided with nutritionally-balanced food.

Typical items which people can donate include: milk, sugar, fruit juice (cordial), soup, pasta sauces, cereals, tinned rice pudding, tea bags/instant coffee, instant mash, rice/pasta, tinned meat/fish, tinned vegetables, tinned fruit, jam and biscuits/snackbars. Particularly needed are tinned tomatoes and tinned sponge puddings.

Rebekah Tunningley, project manager for Runcorn Foodbank, said: "Rising costs of food and fuel combined with static income, high unemployment and changes to benefits are causing more and more people to come to foodbanks for help. Every day people in the UK go hungry for reasons ranging from redundancy to receiving an unexpected bill on a low income.. Foodbanks help prevent crime, housing loss, family breakdown ad mental health problems. A simple box of food makes a big difference."

More than 800 people – the biggest crowd of the NWC Football League campaign so far - watched the first fixture of the season between Linnets and Town at Christmas and another bumper attendance is anticipated for the return game.

Derek Greenwood, chairman of Runcorn Linnets, said: "As a community club and not-for-profit organisation, which is part of the co-operative movement, we try whenever possible to help good causes in our area. We are also currently running a raffle in aid of Cavendish High School, our nominated charity for the year.

"At times such as Easter, we are perhaps even more mindful of those who for whatever reason are in need of help and cannot afford food on the table for their families. Runcorn Foodbank is an excellent and successful initiative and I am sure that Linnets fans, and those of our neighbours, will generously support the collection at the derby match. We are indebted to Tony Waddington for organising this."

Linda Young, secretary of Runcorn Town, expressed full support for what she thought was an excellent idea to support those in need.