Feed Our Pack was set up thanks to a £250,000 grant from the Premier League & PFA Community Fund, then matched by the donation of the same amount from Wolves head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, and already almost a further £80,000 has been added to the fund thanks to the generosity of the club’s supporters.
The more funds that are raised, the more help can be given to people in Wolverhampton suffering from the effects of food poverty during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Feed Our Pack however isn’t just about the food provision which the Foundation are supporting – there will be other strands attached including a digital campaign to support local schoolchildren with laptops and other equipment and now, a kit donation as well.
Around 250 children across Wolverhampton will be kitted out in Wolves’ famous gold colours as part of the Feed Our Pack campaign thanks to support from Official Wolves Mascots.
The team at Wolves behind the official mascot package have had to adapt this year due to the absence of supporters due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with the ‘virtual mascots’ enjoying a very different matchday experience which includes appearing on a video screen for a behind-the-scenes view of all the pre-match build-up taking place in the tunnel.
“With all our home fixtures so far having been played behind closed doors, we knew that we wouldn’t be able to offer our normal mascot experience this season, and so put our thinking caps on to see what we could offer for all the young fans who were still so keen to enjoy their matchday from home,” explains Kerri Davies, membership and mascot manager at Wolves.
“We came up with the idea of the virtual mascots, where they are able to enjoy several different benefits included within the package, including featuring on the TV screen situated in the tunnel.
“This means the mascots are able to get a view of their heroes as they move in and out of the tunnel to warm up before the game, and Nuno and the players always stop and give them a wave which they all really enjoy.
“In addition to that, we are now delighted that we are able to make a donation of 250 kits to local youngsters to show our support for Feed Our Pack, such an important campaign which is making such a big difference across the city.
“Hopefully this will provide many children who would not normally be able to access a home kit with the opportunity to feel a much closer part of the club and to wear our famous colours with pride.”
The kits will be distributed by Foundation staff over the coming weeks to children identified by partner schools within the city.
Ollie Locker is the newly appointed food poverty project manager with Wolves Foundation, and will oversee the Feed Our Pack initiative.
“This is a fantastic contribution from Official Wolves Mascots and we hope the kits can bring a lot of joy at a very difficult time,” said Ollie.
“Feed Our Pack is a project very close to my heart and I'm hoping we can provide hope and support for many families and individuals struggling in our community.”
The most recent home game against Liverpool was the designated ‘Feed Our Pack’ fixture at which the vital project was highlighted, and over 1,500 virtual tickets were sold which added £31,480 to the fund.
The Wolves players wore special shirts including the Feed Our Pack logo adorning the front, and over 250 of those have been sold whilst over £36,000 currently donated on the Just Giving site takes that additional total to almost £80,000.
Click here to access the Just Giving site if you would like to make a donation, and here to bid for some fantastic items in a Silent Auction from which all funds raised will go to Feed Our Pack.
All connected with Wolves Foundation and the club would like to thank supporters for their fantastic support so far, with further fan-led initiatives, highlighting the importance of ‘One Pack’, to be highlighted over the coming weeks.
One Pack Week, the first of its kind at Wolves, has been created to celebrate and promote the equality, diversity and inclusion work undertaken across all areas of the club.
One Pack Week, the first of its kind at Wolves, has been created to celebrate and promote the equality, diversity and inclusion work undertaken across all areas of the club.
Click on the links below to see the latest One Pack Week features:
Rev David Wright on religion and equality
The matchday experience for disabled supporters
Long read | The inclusivity of women's football
Experiencing racism, challenging prejudice and instigating change
