Craig Gordon says Hearts players benefit from knowing about club's community work ahead of foodbank donations against St Mirren

Craig Gordon promotes Hearts' annual foodbank collection, which is at Tynecastle this Saturday.

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The annual foodbank collection in aid of the Community One Stop Shop takes place this Saturday when St Mirren visit Tynecastle Park. Supporters are invited to drop off donations at the Wheatfield Stand turnstiles and Foundation Plaza from 12.30pm on the day.

Gordon, the Hearts captain, says such initiatives in line with the Big Hearts charity help players to understand how their club is rooted in the local area.

“It's great for us to be able to get involved with the foodbank, especially coming out the back of Covid,” said the goalkeeper. “The area around the stadium is obviously not the most affluent area of Edinburgh. For the players to know a bit of the background around Hearts and around that area is great. It shows we support it.

“Yes. As a young player, you are trying to forge your career and be a little bit selfish to get to where you need to be. As you get older, you start to realise what goes on around a football club. Plus what a football club means to fans and the people of that area. You realise there's more to it.

“Hearts are doing great things with their own charity, the mental health charity, the foodbank, and these little things all add to making this a bigger better club that helps the community as well.

“Football clubs almost have a duty now to help with that kind of thing as well. I'm very happy to get involved and try to push it as much as we can as players.”

The Community One Stop Shop provides essential supplies to hundreds of families. They feed around 400 families every month, a figure which increases significantly during winter months.

Items urgently needed by the foodbank are: Toiletries including soap, shower gel and shampoo, plus nappies in all sizes, UHT milk, cereals, biscuits, tinned fruits and puddings.

Online donations can be made until December 4 via the Hearts fans’ forum, Jambos Kickback: Foodbank donations

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