West Ham United and Irons Supporting Foodbanks will combine this weekend, to help assist the relief and support efforts in Morocco following a devastating earthquake in the country.
Endorsed by the Hammers’ Morocco international defender Nayef Aguerd, all donations to Irons Supporting Foodbanks at this weekend’s Premier League fixture against Manchester City will help with the severe and immediate needs of those affected, as well as planning the longer-term support that will be needed in the weeks and months to come.
On Friday 8 September, at 11pm local time, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck Morocco. The epicentre was in the High Atlas Mountains, approximately 70km south of Marrakesh. A 4.9 magnitude aftershock followed just 20 minutes later.
Local authorities are now reporting that over 2,900 people have died, with many more critically injured. The total number of people affected is in the hundreds of thousands.
Many of the worst affected areas are remote and mountainous, making them harder to reach, so these numbers are likely to rise rapidly as the full impact of the disaster becomes clearer.
At Saturday’s fixture against Manchester City, Irons Supporting Foodbanks – who have a longstanding relationship with the Club, with Joint-Chair David Sullivan making regular donations over the years – will be located on Stratford Walk, by the Aquatics Centre, and also outside Hackney Wick Station. All contributions at this weekend’s game, including money, non-perishable food items or clothing, will be donated by ISF and Newham Foodbank towards the relief and support efforts in Morocco, via the British Moroccan Society.
Aguerd and his West Ham team-mates started the donations themselves at Rush Green this lunchtime, where John Ratomski, the founder of Irons Supporting Foodbanks, was present for a photo-call.
“I am really indebted to the Club and Irons Supporting Foodbanks for this kind gesture,” said Aguerd. “It’s a really difficult time for Morocco and our people in the wake of what happened last Friday, and we are all deeply concerned about the ongoing situation. We are doing everything possible to help people impacted in Morocco, especially the victims and their families.
“I can’t thank the West Ham family enough for the support they’ve shown me and the messages I’ve received since the tragedy.”
Ratomski and his fellow volunteers collect and deliver food and clothing to homeless centres across Newham. In December 2019, Ratomski and his team were given permission to collect donations for the Newham Foodbank based in Beckton.
Following a successful trial collecting at a West Ham United home game, Irons Supporting Foodbanks were given permission to continue collecting at all of the Club’s home games at the London Stadium. With the help of the West Ham fanbase - and the Hammers squad as part of our award-winning Players' Project programme – Irons Supporting Foodbanks now supply approximately £750,000 a year in food and new clothing into the east London and Essex community.
Ahead of this weekend’s collections, Irons Supporting Foodbanks are also arranging to deliver approximately £5,000-worth of new clothes to the relief convoy organised by the British Moroccan Society later today, which leaves the UK on Saturday.
For more information on Irons Supporting Foodbanks and how you can support, please click here.
