The Belles players have handed over almost £500 worth of food and toiletries to local foodbanks after deciding to skip their annual secret Santa gift exchange and instead use the money to help those in need.
Centre-back Charlotte Dinsdale led the initiative, and after collecting donations from players and staff rallied together five other team-mates to carry out a big shop for goods which were handed over to the Trussell Trust on Tuesday morning.
She said: “We wanted to do something different given the year that everybody’s had and I pitched to the girls and management that rather than a secret Santa we use that money to do something really positive for the community. I thought we could raise maybe a couple of hundred pounds - but everyone bought into the idea and it was brilliant to raise so much.
“There are so many families out there impacted by the effects of the pandemic and we wanted to do something as a team and part of the community. The local fans come and support us week in week out, and we want to give something back.
“The girls felt it was a great idea and no one has batted an eyelid since. I’m not from Doncaster originally but have really settled in to the Belles and the area and I was really pleased absolutely everybody got behind it.”
Belles manager Andy Butler says it epitomises the role a community club like the Belles can play in Doncaster.
He said: “It’s an incredible effort from the girls, who got together and thought how can they help people at this difficult time. It’s a credit to them as players and people to raise so much money and organise what they have done.
“We’ve got a group of players who are great on the pitch and give their all, but they’re even better people off the pitch and this is just another example of that.”