Cost of living Sheffield: 70s new wave band Squeeze collects 300 meals in food bank donations for city

As part of their ‘Food For Thought’ UK tour, the new 70s wave group behind ‘Take Me I’m Yours’ and ‘Cool For Cats’ have asked their audiences to bring donations to help beat food poverty in the UK. At their show at Sheffield City Hall on November 4, Steel City fans came out in force and provided 126kg of goods – worth 300 meals – as well as £1,045 in cash for food bank charity the Trussell Trust.

Throughout the tour 25-date tour, Squeeze and their fans will be supporting the charity which provides emergency food and support to people locked in poverty while campaigning for change to end the need for food banks in the UK.

Co-founder Chris Difford said: “It’s so sad that in these times people have to lean on local food banks to feed their families, please support The Trussell Trust by offering as much as you can afford and enjoy the music we have created."

Previous tours by Squeeze and Glenn Tilbrook have raised tonnes of food and thousands of pounds for the charity.

Emma Revie, CEO of The Trussell Trust, said: “The cost of living crisis is impacting all of us, but for people on the lowest incomes it means they cannot afford the essentials such as heating or food. We are extremely grateful to Squeeze and all of their fans for kindly donating to the Trussell Trust from their tour, their generosity will help us ensure that food banks across the UK are able to continue delivering vital support this winter.”

It comes following the release of the group’s new six track EP on November 4. The title track, ‘Food For Thought’, is a brand new song written by Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, that is described as a pithy commentary on society, the cost of living crisis, and the increasing reliance on food banks.

Also included on the EP are new recordings of ‘The Very First Dance’ and ‘Electric Trains’ as well as live recordings of ‘In Quintessence’, ‘Slap and Tickle’ and ‘The Day I Get Home’ recorded at the Liverpool Philharmonic.