To honour our Club’s founding principles and the existing aims of Celtic FC Foundation, we are proud to announce support measures during the current coronavirus crisis for the most vulnerable in our community through the Football for Good Fund.

An initial £150,000 will be available for those who need it most. Monies have been allocated from Celtic FC Foundation, supported by Celtic Football Club.

These are extraordinary times for everyone. The fear, uncertainty, upheaval and disruption to everyday life through the COVID-19 outbreak, is like nothing we have experienced before. Quite rightly, our priority is keeping our loved ones and families safe. Health and the financial burdens are in the forefront of all of our thoughts.

Primarily, we are looking to provide assistance to vulnerable families, pensioners, individuals who have been affected financially by the crisis, the homeless and frontline NHS staff who are going above and beyond to protect each and every one of us.

Starting from this coming midweek, we will:

– Feed around 250 people, including NHS frontline staff, at Celtic Park over three sittings, every week day (within the parameters of  Government guidance around social distancing)

– Grow delivery to reach the most vulnerable and isolated through the local Foodbank network

– Provide funding to a host of our charity partners to urgently provide food to the most vulnerable in our community

With self-isolation and social distancing currently being essential for certain groups such as elderly people and those with underlying health issues, and recommended for everyone else, we will also be making a concerted effort to reach out by telephone to our existing participants and new client groups that find themselves alone.

FULL DETAILS ON THE FOOTBALL FOR GOOD FUND, TIMES OF CELTIC PARK FOOD SESSIONS, AND HOW TO GET INVOLVED WILL BE ANNOUNCED EARLY NEXT WEEK.

Celtic’s Chief Executive, Peter Lawwell, said: “Our Club was born to bring comfort to the most vulnerable on our doorstep and we strive to maintain that charitable principle today, through the work of Celtic FC Foundation.

“The current climate we face is both alien and daunting and, as a family, we must do everything in our power to provide assistance and comfort to those who need it most.

“The Celtic support have continually epitomised the essence of our Club in their charitable actions and I hope that this Fund will provide a focus for a concerted team effort to provide a lifeline to so many.”

Tony Hamilton, Celtic FC Foundation’s Chief Executive added: “These are exceptional and surreal times for all of us. What was normal even a week ago has gone, and many families and individuals are now rightly worried about their families, their health and their jobs.

“This is primarily about helping people with the money we have, it’s not about fundraising, although we would clearly like to do more as we could be in this for the long haul. We know that a lot of people who normally help Celtic FC Foundation will not be able to help this time.

“The priority areas are organisations who care for vulnerable pensioners, the homeless community and those who run Foodbanks. And we will play our part in helping frontline NHS staff who work tirelessly for all of us. There will also be many new Foodbank users in the coming months and while many people are stockpiling food, even less is going to the Foodbanks.

“We are very grateful for anything you can do to help us further protect our vulnerable neighbours through this crisis. Thank you from everyone at the Club and the Foundation.”

To register for further details on the Football for Good Fund or any other Celtic FC Foundation activities, please email [email protected] and we will respond to you as soon as we possibly can.