Dundee FC stars Adam Legzdins and Cammy Kerr stopped for a bite to eat with locals using the club’s Dinner at Dens warm space project.
The club is inviting locals to Dens Park to enjoy hot meals and games during the cost of living crisis.
Those behind it hope it will help tackle food poverty by providing somewhere warm for people to eat and socialise.
Dinner at Dens is taking place every Wednesday between 3pm and 5pm at the stadium.
Dundee players have enthusiastically supported the project – with some stopping by to speak with visitors this week.
Goalkeeper Legzdins said: “We’re lucky we work with thoughtful people who want to put our weight behind causes that can have a real benefit to the community.
“These are the things that really matter”.
Defender Kerr told The Courier: “It’s great because there are so many diverse communities coming together.
“It allows them to get away from the day-to-day stresses of life and it gives people a chance to have to have a chat
‘Absolutely everyone is welcome’.
“It’s so important to give back.
“It’s rewarding to come here and put smiles on people’s faces.”
The players have also been heavily involved in the Fans for Foodbanks scheme, which has seen a table for donations set up at their training grounds.
Declan Gall, business development manager at the Dundee FC Community Trust, says the club was inspired to act after becoming increasingly aware of the rise in people relying on foodbanks over the festive period.
He said: “We kind of recognised that there was a problem over Christmas time and we really wanted to see what we could do to support the city more.
“So from that we developed the Dinner at Dens initiative to try and help with food poverty.
“It is a completely open doors policy we’ve got going.
“The players are all behind it and they donate food to the Fans Supporting Foodbanks initiative as well.
‘I struggle to afford heating’
And the initiative is already making a big difference to people in the area.
Shakkitta Scott says she has been to the stadium for dinner every week since it started.
The 57-year-old said: “I’m on benefits so it saves me money.
“If there’s any food leftover I get to take it home, so it does me for the week.
“I struggle to afford the heating so I enjoy the warmth.”
She added that she is even becoming a fan of football.
She said: “They got me a free ticket to a game.
“It was freezing cold, but I was still cheering”.
Although the club moved operations to the Gardyne Campus near Broughty Ferry last year, Declan says they decided to host the weekly event at Dens Park due to its location.
He said: “We were very conscious that Dens is right in the heart of a very deprived area in the city.
“Typically, people we’ve been having are from more deprived backgrounds, but we have had a couple of people popping in who just want a chat, which is lovely.
“They’re also big Dundee fans and want to see inside the stadium – and they can get their dinner as well which is great.”
Visitors eat the same food as players
Dishes on offer have included chicken chow mein, spaghetti bolognese, vegetable curry and pasta.
The club usually prepares enough for 30 people, with any leftovers taken home by visitors so nothing is wasted.
Declan added: “We use the same caterer the club uses and people who come along get free hot meals, all ready to go.
“They can come in, have a chat, put the TV on and blast the heating up.
“We’ve got games for the kids and stuff as well”.
Conversation