Ahead of this weekend’s fourth round Scottish Cup Glasgow derby, we are looking to honour and mark the anniversary of the passing of the Club’s Founding Father this Saturday, April 17, through hosting our very first Brother Walfrid Virtual Community Lunch. Proceeds raised through the initiative will help to provide hot meals for our friends in the homeless community, via our Football for Good Fund (FFGF) partners.

Ordinarily, to mark the anniversary, Celtic FC Foundation would host an annual Community Lunch at Celtic Park, with our special guests – predominantly from the homeless community – welcomed to the dinner table in the Kerrydale Suite, to enjoy a hot meal and the company of friends old and new.

Due to the pandemic and with social distancing measures and other restrictions still in place, we are sadly unable to host our lunch this year. However, those facing homelessness now need our help more than ever before.

Therefore, we are humbly asking supporters who are in a position to do so, to contribute to the Brother Walfrid Virtual Community Lunch, on or before the anniversary this Saturday.

Supporters can donate whatever they can afford e.g. £1, £5, £10, £20, etc. HERE. Funds raised will allow us to continue to work with a number of our FFGF charity partners to assist those who need it most. 

Speaking of the support received from Celtic FC Foundation in the past, Lawrence McGarry of the Wayside Club said: “Celtic FC Foundation has, for many years been a great supporter of the work of the Wayside Club but they have been particularly proactive in reaching out to help us on a very regular basis since March 2020, when the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic started to take hold. 

“The new service we are providing is substantially more expensive and this is at a time when our general income has reduced, so to receive the generous support from the Foundation has made a massive difference to the quality of the meals we can offer to those in need. Everyone involved at the Wayside Club would like to sincerely thank those who have, and continue to contribute towards the Football for Good Fund.”  

Helen McMillan of Help the Homeless Glasgow also spoke of how important the support received so far has been to their service, saying: “The Help the Homeless Glasgow group have made close to 16,000 meals from January to March 2021, combine this with over 26,000 meals and 1,200 food parcels which were made in first lockdown, we have supported so many individuals in the community. This is largely due to the support we have received from Celtic FC Foundation and everyone that has donated to the Football for Good Fund. 

“Although lockdown is easing now, these individuals don’t suddenly stop needing our help so thank you to every single person who is continuing to support initiatives such as the Brother Walfrid Virtual Community Lunch.”

Annika Joy of Safe in Scotland added: “Safe in Scotland (formerly Glasgow Night Shelter for Destitute Asylum Seekers) is grateful for the partnership we have with Celtic FC Foundation and the ways in which the Football for Good Fund has supported us. We work with people who are facing a number of challenges, so finding ways to ensure that there is dignity, choice and control in what our guests can eat and when, is key to the way we work. 

“The support provided has helped us to run a community kitchen in our accommodation, making sure there is a big warm heart at the centre of what we do. The pandemic has made this tricky but with additional support we can do it safely, so thank you once again.”

Since its launch in March 2020 and thanks to the incredible generosity of so many Celtic supporters throughout the world, the FFGF has risen to over £1million and we have worked with a host of partner organisations, to provide vital and urgent support in the form of food and essentials to thousands of vulnerable children, families, individuals, pensioners, refugees, the homeless, those living in refuge and NHS frontline staff. To complement this provision, the FFGF is now also focusing on challenging fuel poverty and providing mental health support.

Thank you for your wonderful support, as always.