Football fans help H&F to Wrap Up Warm

The Wrap Up Warm initiative is being led by Chelsea Foundation – Chelsea FC's social inclusion programme – and the Chelsea Supporters Trust.

Cole Palmer doing his trademark 'chilly' celebration.
Image credit
Getty

Chelsea fans are donating winter clothing to help the estimated 3,200 people sleeping rough in south west London.

Cash donations and clothes are being channelled through homeless charities including the H&F Council-backed Barons Court Project, the only day centre of its kind in the borough.

The Wrap Up Warm initiative is being led by Chelsea Foundation, the football club's social inclusion programme, and the Chelsea Supporters Trust.

It uses fans' favourite Cole Palmer's famous 'shivering' goal celebration in a heart-warming video to urge supporters to bring coats and warm clothes to a matchday collection point at the stadium's Stamford gate in Fulham Road.

The video features Blues legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, global star and Chelsea fan Central Cee, Madness lead singer and true Blue Suggs, and current players Cole Palmer, Sam Kerr and Christopher Nkunku.

Every home game, including this weekend's Chelsea Women v Manchester City Women match, is taking donations, up to the Chelsea v Fulham match on Boxing Day.

Clothing donations are seen as a part-solution to a long-term problem, with nearly 12,000 people sleeping rough across the capital last year. Therefore, Chelsea Foundation is also partnering with GoFundMe, and calling for donations which will then be granted to charities in London tackling homelessness and its roots causes all-year round.

The football club is making a donation from the proceeds of its festive retail range, and both the men's and women's teams are also chipping in.

Chelsea's Supporters' Trust already supports the Barons Court Project with its annual sleepout, which sees members spend the night in Stamford Bridge's East stand to benefit the charity.

"With over 3,000 people sleeping rough in our local community alone, we have a role to play in supporting individuals and families affected by homelessness," said Laura Cordingley of Chelsea Foundation.

Set up in Talgarth Road in 1985, the Barons Court Project supports people who are homeless, on low incomes or who are living with mental health issues.

It is the only day centre of its kind in H&F, providing a safe space, showers, laundry, meals and activities from yoga and guitar to art, cookery and employment assistance.

H&F Council grants make up more than a quarter of the project's annual costs, but the rest is made up of donations.

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