WITH Christmas just around the corner, Forest Green Rovers players took time out to lend a helping hand at Stroud District Foodbank on Monday night.

Ahead of their trip to Chesterfield in League Two, Saturday’s winning goal scorer Alex Iacovitti was joined by Sam Russell, Luke James, Toni Gomes, Harry Pickering and Jon Moran at the charity’s warehouse in Brimscombe Port.

Players were put through their paces as they helped sort through boxes of food generously donated by the public following a successful harvest appeal.

The foodbank staff are in the midst of their busiest period and the club were proud to roll up their sleeves and support their local community.

“It’s sad to think that a box of food could be the best thing some families are going to get this Christmas,” said Forest Green forward Luke James.

“That’s why we’re here to help, as a club we want to give back to the community as much as possible.

“It’s a tough time for a lot of families, so we wanted to try and give them a bit of hope, and hopefully put a smile on one or two faces.

Operations manager Sue Beattie oversaw the work of the footballers and was more than happy to have some youthful faces in to help with the workload, with the warehouse brimming at the seams.

“I’ve had the players carrying some of our surplus food stock from our main warehouse up to a store room we have in a local church,” she said.

“We have had such an enormous response from our harvest appeals that we’re a little bit full on a few things so we’re clearing those out.

“A lot of my volunteers are not in their prime, they are older than me, and to have some young folk here in the players who don’t mind doing some lifting and carrying is fantastic and makes my life a bit easier.”

The foodbank are always happy to receive donations and hear from people who want to volunteer, the best way to contact them is via email: office@strouddistrictfoodbank.org.uk.