BLUES fans are being urged to donate food when they head to Roots Hall this weekend to help feed hungry families in Southend.

Southend Foodbank will be outside the club shop and turnstiles at Roots Hall this Saturday for the game against Woking FC.

The foodbank and the club are joining forces to call on fans from both clubs to donate food items or cash.

The hashtag #HungerDoesntWearClubColours can also be used by fans to show support on social media.

Sarah Godfrey, from Southend Foodbank, said: “Foodbanks around the country have been supported by fan groups at their football club.

“Over 90 per cent of everything we give through the foodbank comes from donations from the community and collections like this are absolutely vital.

“An extra collection day at Roots Hall will make a real impact, by giving our shelves a vital boost but also showing that our community has pulled together again to help people who really need some extra support.

“Football fans know how important it is to show up and show your support. When you come down to Roots Hall, bring something for the foodbank, and you can show families across Southend that we’re supporting them too.”

The donation event is being organised by the foodbank alongside Southend United community and educational trust and Fans Supporting Southend Foodbanks - a group of Blues supporters fighting against food insecurity.

Alex Small, a founding member of Fans Supporting Southend Foodbanks, said: “We set up Supporting Southend Foodbanks in response to the shocking levels of food poverty in our town.

“As Shrimpers we are part of our Southend community; like our team we know we can achieve our goals when we come together.

“Right now across the country people are joining the Fans Supporting Foodbanks network collecting food to make sure that local people have enough to eat and remain healthy. With your support we can do this in Southend too.”

Items that can be donated include tinned foods as well as shower gel and shampoo.