Utilita Giving will take over the club’s fixture against Stoke at the Stadium of Light to support people facing fuel and food poverty.
The charity supports individuals, families and households who are having difficulty affording fuel and food across England, Scotland, and Wales.
Volunteers from the charity will run several activities in the lead up to the kick off ahead of our fixture against Stoke City.
The takeover will focus on gathering food donations for Durham & Sunderland Foodbank and fans attending the match will also have the opportunity to win prizes in return for their generosity.
How to get involved
Help to fill Durham & Sunderland’s van with food
On Saturday, fans will be able to donate food from 12:30pm until kick-off, via a Utilita Giving / Durham & Sunderland Foodbank stall, located in the South East corner of the Green Car Park, adjacent to the Bob Stokoe statue.
Food items accepted are:
- Cereals
- Tinned fruit
- Cooking oil
- Oats / porridge
- Tinned custard and rice pudding
- Tinned soup
- Tinned vegetables - sweetcorn, peas, carrots, beans
- Squash
- Tinned tomatoes
- Pulses – chickpeas, dried lentils
- Pasta and pasta sauces
- Tinned fish
- Tinned meats
- Condiments: salt, pepper, sauces, spices
- Basmati Rice
- Long life milk – esp full-fat milk
- Toilet rolls
- Tea / coffee / sugar
- Soy / oat / almond milk
Please note, perishable food items cannot be accepted.
All food donations will go to Durham & Sunderland Foodbank who provide three days’ nutritionally balanced emergency food and support to local people who are referred to them in crisis.
If you’re unable to donate food, Utilita Giving will be accepting cash and card donations at their stall too. The money raised will be jointly donated to the Foodbank and Utilita Giving.
Spin the Wheel of Giving and win a prize!
Fans who donate food or money at the Utilita Giving stall between 1:30-2:30pm will have the chance to receive a small prize including supermarket vouchers by spinning the Wheel of Giving.
Play football bowls on the pitch!
At half-time, one lucky Sunderland fan will have the chance to play football bowls on the Stadium of Light pitch against a Stoke fan!
For every point scored by the Black Cats and Stoke fans, Sunderland and Utilita will add money to the fundraising pot.
Hospitality raffle
Premium seat holders will be able to enter a raffle for chance to win prizes including hospitality tickets to Sunderland’s fixture against Huddersfield at the John Smith’s Stadium in February, a signed Sunderland home shirt and a £250 Amazon voucher.
Tickets can only be purchased online on matchday until 3pm, with the winners announced at half-time. *
Keira Meadus from Utilita Giving added: “We are incredibly grateful to Sunderland for allowing us to be a part of their matchday against Stoke.
“There are few better ways to be seen by so many people and raise awareness than through football.
“We have forged some incredibly strong relationships in Sunderland thanks to the club, and we continue to reach even more vulnerable people across the area.
“Thank you again - together, we are making a real difference.”
*The hospitality raffle is a Utilita Giving Promotion in conjunction with Raffall. Utilita Giving T&Cs can be found on the Utilita Giving website. Raffle tickets will be sold pre-match only, online via Raffall. Tickets cost £5 each. Five winners will be selected randomly from all correct entries, with the draw made electronically during the first half of Sunderland vs Stoke City. Winners’ names and their allocated prizes will be announced via the online Raffall platform. Winners will be contacted directly by Utilita Giving within 72 hours of the draw to discuss delivery or collection of the prize.