FOOTBALL chiefs say unused food from matchday hospitality will be donated to homeless charities.
Brighton and Hove Albionโs home match at the Amex Stadium was cancelled over coronavirus.
The Gunnersโ manager Mikel Arteta has tested positive for the disease, prompting action from the Premier League to suspend all matches.
Now Albion has said all food from hospitality lounges and retail kiosks will be donated to the cityโs homeless.
The club said it is also paying all match day staff for games until the end of the season, regardless of whether they go ahead.
Meanwhile season ticket holders can get ten per cent off at the clubโs store at Churchill Square and online.
Speaking on BBC Football Focus Mr Barber said: "The food we ordered for todayโs game was going to be wasted. It made absolute sense to get that food to the people who most need it, and we are delighted to be able to help in that way.
"Our match day staff are often the lowest paid, but also the most important, as without them we couldnโt put matches on, so it seemed the right thing to do.
"They shouldnโt suffer as they are important members of staff and the community."
The decisions have been widely praised, in particular from BBC Football Focus presenter Dan Walker who said it was a โbrilliantโ gesture by Albion.
Brilliant from @OfficialBHAFC...
โ Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) March 13, 2020
Not only are they paying staff who work at their stadium on match days even though there is no game, they are also donating all the corporate hospitality food from this weekend to the homeless
๐๐ป๐๐ป๐๐ป๐๐ป๐๐ป๐๐ป๐๐ป๐๐ป๐๐ป๐๐ป๐๐ป#COVID_19uk #Covid_19
In a statement the club said: โBrighton and Hove Albion have donated food purchased for the hospitality lounges and retail kiosks for the match against Arsenal, originally scheduled for Saturday, to the cityโs homeless community.
๐ The club have donated food purchased for the hospitality lounges and retail kiosks for the match against @Arsenal to the cityโs homeless community.#BHAFC ๐ตโช๏ธ
โ Brighton & Hove Albion โฝ๏ธ (@OfficialBHAFC) March 13, 2020
โThe move comes after Brighton Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas called on communities not to forget food banks and homeless charities during the coronavirus crisis, instead of panic buying.
โThe club has donated all surplus fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy products and sandwiches to Sussex Homeless Support.
โA team from the organisation will be collecting the food from the American Express Community Stadium.
โIt will then be used to serve and provide food across various night shelters and soup kitchens in and around the Brighton and Hove area.
โSussex Homeless Support also supply foodbanks and provide a service to vulnerable people such as the elderly who may be isolated in their homes.โ
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