Crystal Palace Football Club are to support frontline workers, people who are shielding at home, families facing food poverty and the homeless currently in temporary hostels within the community with 900 meals a week prepared by the club’s chefs.

The kitchens at Palace’s Selhurst Park are being used to prepare the meals which will be delivered to those in need by charity City Harvest working with the Palace for Life Foundation.

Speaking to Crystal Palace’s website, Laura Winningham, CEO of City Harvest, said: “It’s wonderful to see people coming together to help their communities. We couldn’t be happier to work with Crystal Palace FC and the Palace for Life Foundation to ensure more meals are made available to those in such great need. We have a wide outreach in South London, this partnership makes a huge impact.”

Palace intend to keep this initiative funded entirely by Crystal Palace and individual shareholders running for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic so long as it remains practical.

Mike Summers, chief executive of the Palace for Life Foundation said: “We are delighted that the club has asked us to help deliver this initiative along with City Harvest to provide meals to heroic NHS staff working on the frontline and to the most vulnerable members of our communities. It is in keeping with the club’s mission to be a force for good in South London.”

This scheme means Palace join Tottenham in the list of London Premier League sides repurposing their facilities to help the local community during this pandemic with Tottenham converting their stadium into a centre for maternity and antenatal services and conducting drive thru testing.

Other sides including Arsenal, West Ham and Chelsea have also made significant contributions to local charities and the NHS since the beginning of the health emergency.