Watford FC unused food donated to charities and groups

The Random Café in Watford utilised the food it was donated by Watford Football Club by making pigs in blankets rolls

Left over Christmas food, soups and sandwiches from a postponed Premier League football match have been donated to charities and social action groups.

Watford Football Club offered the food after its game with Crystal Palace was called off due to a Covid-19 outbreak in the squad.

It called the Hertfordshire town's elected Liberal Democrat mayor, Peter Taylor, to see where it could be sent.

"I was only too happy to help, it meant we were able to act quickly", he said.

"It's typical of the club as they're very community minded and they didn't want the food to go to waste, they just wanted to help local charities", he added.

Many of the core ingredients for a Christmas dinner were handed out.

Saturdays match against Crystal Palace at Vicarage Road did not go ahead as planned

Jane Johnson, from Watford's Random Café, which offers left over food by pay-as-you-want payment, took in winter vegetable and tomato soup, bread rolls, pigs-in-blankets, sandwiches and mince pies.

She was contacted as she was part of a WhatsApp group that rescues food that could go to waste, she said.

"We took as much as we felt we could, we made sure it was used in the shop and the café.

"The fact they [Watford FC] reached out and shared with non-profit groups instead of throwing it away was amazing," she added.

Jane Johnson said the Random Café was only too happy to take in a selection of unwanted sandwiches

During the first lockdown the club's ground, Vicarage Road, was used by West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust as a place for staff to get a meal and have a rest.

The club, on social media, said: "Food intended for use this weekend has been donated to local charities to distribute across Hertfordshire.

"Thank you to those who put in the tireless work to support others in need."

Jane Johnson said "if we take some at least we are saving some"