Everton charity to stay at heart of community

Winnie, a carer, said the pantry helped her get by and feed her children when her salary was stretched thin

Everton Football Club has begun its long goodbye to Goodison Park, the stadium it has called home for over 130 years.

And while the beloved but aging ground will be demolished next year after the 2024-25 season, the work of its associated charity, Everton in the Community, will carry on.

The charity runs about 60 projects providing support to anyone from babies to pensioners with food, housing, education, employment and finance.

The challenges in the neighbourhood surrounding the stadium mean that when the lights go out at Goodison, Everton in the Community will stay put.

Everton FC are due to play their last game at Goodison Park in May 2025

Chief executive Sue Gregory told BBC North West Tonight that the area around Goodison was "our home" and the organisation was even looking to expand its offices.

"We've got to respond to the stuff going on in our neighbourhood around education equality, how poverty's hit, the health inequality, life expectancy," she said.

"It's a good community here so we're staying."

The biggest project the charity runs is its Blue Base Pantry, open every Thursday morning and attracting about 180 people.

Its members pay £3.50 a week to buy points which they can spend on food - estimated to be worth about £30.

One user of the service, a carer called Winnie, told the BBC: "I have got kids at home.

"I work as well, but sometimes the salary is not enough."

Members of the Everton in the Community pantry can obtain cheap, fresh food each week

For John, the service helps him through tricky periods between work.

"I haven't worked for the last couple of months," he said.

"It gets me through the week, something to eat. It helps me out."

The charity also runs programmes to help young people with their educational and social skills.

One teenager, Heidi, said: "My attendance has really improved in school, it's making me want to go to school a bit more because I know the next day I'm coming here."

Mayor of Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram said the brand of Everton helped the charity reach people that statutory agencies might struggle to.

"It will get a lot of Blues who'll come here for a check-up who wouldn't go to their GP or wouldn't go to a hospital.

"So this place, and this football club, actually saves lives."

Goodison Park will be redeveloped when the football club leaves.

New homes and leisure facilities will change this community, but although the football’s gone, the club wants to remain at its heart.