Back in January 2017, a group of Newcastle United fans were left so shocked by the poverty depicted in I, Daniel Blake that they decided something had to be done.
The supporters had watched Ken Loach’s award-winning film on the devastating impacts of austerity at a screening held in the Tyneside Irish Centre.
One of I, Daniel Blake's most shocking scenes is filmed in Newcastle’s West End Foodbank , which feeds around 1,000 people from Newcastle’s poorest and most vulnerable communities every week. For those who doubt the tales told in the film, West End Foodbank’s former manager Michael Nixon, who retired earlier this year when John McCorry took over, told ChronicleLive that the situation is so dire that viewers sat in a cinema would not believe some of the stories he witnessed every day.
Those sat in the Irish Centre last night believed what they saw. A group pledged to help feed their city - and they found a way.
Newcastle United’ s St James’ Park is barely a minute’s walk from the Irish Centre. The football stadium is a place where 50,000 people from across the North East and beyond gather regularly. Where better to launch a call to arms to fight for Newcastle’s struggling and hungry?
On Saturday February 5, the collections started, ahead of United’s match with Derby County. The NUFC Fans’ Foodbank was born.
And 15 months on, Geordies - and visiting fans - have donated an astonishing amount: the collections at matches, events and the foodbank’s Grainger Market donation point have pulled in £150,000 of groceries and cash. The figure was revealed by a NUFC Fans United representative at the club’s recent fans forum.
Bill Corcoran, of the Tyneside Irish Centre, told ChronicleLive how the collections show the united nature of Newcastle as a city. Artists, rugby fans, football fanzine True Faith, musicians and volunteers are among those who have played their part.
Bill said: “We had a report out, I think on our first anniversary, where we worked out that if we monetise the food we collect, a ton of food works out as £2,000. That’s how we got that figure.
“We did that before the Burnley game on January 31, and worked out we’d collected/raised £110,000. Since then, we’ve had six match day collections; we had our first Newcastle Falcons collection - which did quite well, £500 and half a ton of food; we’ve had more donations in the Grainger Market and the True Faith Forum nights raised £7,000.”
Toon manager Rafa Benitez and Newcastle United players including Kenedy, Paul Dummett and Martin Dubravka all donated personalised art , which has been auctioned off to fans. That alone could raise up to £10,000, which will help cover the two months when supporters won’t be visiting St James’ Park every other week.
“The art is almost paying for the post season, it’s the equivalent of six home matches that we are going to miss,” added Bill.
Collections will be held outside Ed Sheeran’s run of St James’ Park concerts in June, while there is also a plan to ask for donations during the upcoming rugby league Magic Weekend.
Bill says the council and football club’s co-operation has been vital for arranging the donation stations.
He also pointed to the work Newcastle United’s Foundation quietly puts in behind the scenes, while the impact of the club’s association with West End Foodbank can not be overstated.
Bill said: “Michael Nixon [former West End Foodbank manager], he said as soon as Newcastle United Football Club became associated with it, donations to food bank, collections in supermarkets doubled overnight. That shows the power that Newcastle United has.
“It’s perhaps not recognised how much they do with their Foundation for our young people, it all goes together.
“It sounds like a cliché to say it, but it’s a united effort and always will be.”
