Aston Villa to expand Villa Kitchen during COVID-19

Aston Villa to expand Villa Kitchen during COVID-19

Aston Villa have announced they will expand their Villa Kitchen initiative to offer up to 500 hot meals each and every week during the COVID-19 crisis.

Thanks to the money raised from last year’s ‘Big Villa Sleep Out’ and a personal donation from Aston Villa’s CEO Christian Purslow, hundreds of hot meals will be cooked at Villa Park beginning this week, benefitting vulnerable people across Birmingham.

“I am delighted to be able to support the Villa Kitchen, particularly during a time where this vital work will be needed more than ever, helping the most vulnerable in our society.” said Mr Purslow.“Aston Villa Football Club and the Aston Villa Foundation will continue to aid those who are in need in the city of Birmingham during these most uncertain of times.”

Since last January Villa Kitchen has been cooking 350 meals each week in partnership with club catering partner Levy UK and distributing them to homeless people across the city through a range of outreach charities and organisations.

The new investment will broaden the range of people they support, aiming to help feed the elderly, people with disabilities, shelters (such as domestic violence and refugee) and families who’ve been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.

“We’re really pleased to expand the reach of the Villa Kitchen initiative. The project was originally set up to support the homeless back in January and it has been very successful.” said Guy Rippon, head of Aston Villa Foundation.

“The COVID-19 situation means that there are now lots of vulnerable people who aren’t eating as they should, so we are therefore expanding the reach through additional resources committed for the foreseeable future.”

Starting from this week, hundreds of hot meals will be cooked at Villa Park, benefitting vulnerable people across Birmingham…#AVFC

— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) April 27, 2020