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Club News

Our Champs target Kingston

3 April 2020

Club News

Our Champs target Kingston

3 April 2020

Our incredible fans are now targeting Kingston as they continue to help stranded individuals and families tackle the coronavirus crisis.

The inspirational Dons Local Action Group is already supplying vital food boxes across Wimbledon on a daily basis.

Now they're about to do the same using Kingsmeadow as an operational base.

"We began in Wimbledon for the obvious reasons - it's where our club was always historically based and it's where our new stadium is being built," said spokesman Xavier Wiggins.

"But Kingston has been our home for the past 18 years, too, so it's also close to all our hearts."

The inspirational group has already made a real difference, with nearly 200 volunteers collecting food, boxing it up and then delivering it to people most in need.

"It started off as a weekend project but so many people offered to help, and we started getting so many food donations that we now do it every day of the week,' explained Xavier.

"I think we all wanted to show how our club can be a power for good in the community. The AFC Wimbledon Foundation has been doing some incredible work for years and, of course, they've been helping us all the way with this.

"We've also had incredible support and donations from caring  local businesses and supermarkets, who have let us set up collection points outside their main entrances."

Food collection points will open tomorrow (Saturday) between 11am and 5pm on Surbiton High Street (next to The Duke public house) and outside Aldi supermarket on Kingston Road.

There'll also be a pop-up collection point outside our Cherry Red Records stadium, which will open at the same time on Saturday only.

"People have been incredibly generous, donating essentials at our drop off points. Tins of food, milk, cheese, eggs, biscuits, fresh fruit and vegetables, sugar, tea, coffee and drinks, bread, cereals, chocolate - we'll take anything with open arms," said Xavier.

"We then deliver boxes to people who are struggling out there - and it's not solely the elderly. We've been helping NHS workers who are working incredibly-long hours and simply haven't got time to get to the shops.

"Then there's single-parent families trying to work from home and look after kids at the same time. So many people are struggling and the response we've been getting, the gratitude, has often brought tears to our eyes."

The group don't just deliver food boxes, either, with volunteers also helping with errands or odd jobs that need doing.

And our manager Glyn Hodges and players like Will Nightingale have mucked in, phoning our elderly season ticket holders to check they're coping.

If you'd like to join our community champions then email: DLA@afcwimbledonfoundation.org.uk or call 020 3301 4511


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