Set to the tune of ‘Do they know it’s Christmas time’, the chant ‘Feed the Scousers, let them know it’s Christmas Time’ rang out in stadiums where Liverpool and Everton teams played.

This week, French football magazine So Foot interviewed Good Food Programme Director Dr Naomi Maynard, and Fans Supporting Foodbanks Founder Dave Kelly about their reactions to this chant and the work of the football clubs tackling food insecurity in the city.

“When I hear the Feed the Scousers chant I feel angry; the chant is thoughtless and dangerously stigmatising. Some people say these chants are just ‘banter’ designed to wind up Liverpool and Everton fans. But there is nothing funny about people going to bed hungry, grandparents skipping meals to feed grandchildren, or people being unable to afford healthy food. What is funny about 2.5 million people in the UK using a food bank in 2020 and 2021?” Dr Naomi Maynard

 

“What is happening on the streets of Liverpool is also happening on the streets of all the other major cities in the country, there is a humanitarian crisis. No one should feel hungry. It is a crime for children to fall asleep hungry in our country. I hope that the ignorant who sing “Feed the Scousers” will one day educate themselves to understand reality.” Dave Kelly

Read the full article in French at SOFOOT.com or a translated version available at Then24.com