THE ongoing coronavirus crisis and the current lockdown has presented a variety of challenges to many people, and Celtic FC Foundation has immediately set out to help those most in need.

Setting up the Football For Good Fund, the Foundation has been working with a number of its partners to help people, primarily in providing food, while also funding a project to deliver 100 hot prepared meals to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary to feed NHSGGC staff across all roles and wards every day.

Speaking to the Celtic View podcast, Tony Hamilton, the Chief Executive of Celtic FC Foundation, explained some of the vital work that the charitable arm of Celtic are doing at this difficult time.

“We haven’t deliberately asked people for money to help with this,” he said. “We’ve put in some money from the Foundation directly, we’ve had some other people contribute to that who have stepped up – people within the football club, some others who are close to the Foundation and support what we do, and various other people across the world – so we haven’t asked anybody directly to fundraise yet because of what’s going on.

“People are worried about their health, about their job and various other things, so it’s probably not the right time to ask.

“We’ve concentrated on providing food, working with partner organisations to provide food for people. There are many people who, even just a few weeks ago, life would have been normal for them, they would have had an income and been able to provide for themselves and their families, and all of sudden that’s been taken away.

“So we went back to our partners, we’ve identified those who are best equipped to go and put food on people’s tables. Food is the priority.

“We’ve got over 20 partners identified, predominantly in Glasgow but some in London, one in Oban, two in Belfast and one in Dublin, and one in Newcastle, while we’re also looking at some international stuff as well because Celtic is not a local organisation, and Celtic FC Foundation throughout the year travels internationally to deliver projects and to fundraise. So that’s the kinds of things we’re doing at the moment.”

As well as the feeding project for NHS workers, organised in partnership with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Cathedral House, there are a number of other projects that the Foundation’s Football For Good Fund has already helped.

- Glasgow’s Golden Generation, an organisation which, for over 70 years, has been providing care and support to older adults across Glasgow.

- FARE Scotland, which is a social enterprise working to improve the lives of children and families living in the East End of Glasgow and beyond.

- Glasgow North-East Foodbank, in partnership with Celtic FC Foundation, has launched a free self-referral service providing food parcels for people living in Glasgow affected by the current coronavirus crisis.

As always, Celtic supporters are keen to support the incredible work of the Foundation, but there are some practical difficulties in trying to organise any fundraising activities, or volunteering to help.

You can make a donation on the Foundation's Football For Good Just Giving Page

Celtic FC Foundation work to help those most in need during crisis