FOOTBALL fans have smashed a fundraising target to collect £20,000 that will pay for energy vouchers in a Glasgow community.
Partick Thistle supporters set up Jags For Good in order to make a difference to the north of Glasgow in the areas surrounding their club's grounds.
Of several initiatives sparked by the charity group, one was a bid to raise £3000 to set up an Energy Fund in the face of the cost of living crisis.
When the initial £3000 target was surpassed within 24 hours, the group decided to keep the tally open.
Now Jags For Good has breached a £20,000 milestone total for the fund, which is hosted by Glasgow North West Foodbank.
The target was overtaken thanks to supporter Jack Carson who completed the gruelling West London Spartan Race on behalf of the charity.
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The 23-year-old said: "I thought this would be a good opportunity to raise money and I it was easy to choose to do it for Jags For Good because I know some of the people involved and I know the amount of time and effort they put into it for a totally selfless cause.
"I have had a great time at some of the events they have organised and I wanted to give back.
"The work they are doing goes Scotland-wide because we take food for foodbanks to away games so they are doing a really amazing job and I don't think enough people realise that."
Jack, who was taken to see the Jags play from the age of 18 months and has been a lifelong fan, said the Spartan race was "much worse" than he had been expecting.
He added: "I did quite a lot of intense training from New Year's onwards and gave myself a long time to prepare for it but I couldn't have predicted how hard it was going to be.
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Heather Wilson from Jags For Good said: "When we heard Jack was doing the Spartan Race in aid of Jags For Good, we were incredibly humbled.
"When he started smashing his targets within days of setting them, we knew the sponsorship money was going to go a long way in the local community."
Jack ran the brutal 21km obstacle run on April 29, taking him three hours 23 minutes to complete.
In total, he raised £900 which was then matched by his employers, meaning that £1800 went directly into Jags For Good’s Energy Fund and, in turn, saw the total for the fund exceed £20,000.
Of the current total, almost £9000 raised was through online appeals as well as matchday donations and events such as a stand up show at The Stand in October that featured Ray Bradshaw, Fred Macaulay and Frankie Boyle.
Both the first team men's squad gave their support, as did the Partick Thistle Women's FC.
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All funds raised are being used by Glasgow North West Foodbank to provide energy top-ups to people on prepaid meters who are being pulled into poverty.
Heather added: "The Energy Fund has been supported by so many Thistle fans and the wider footballing community and we are eternally grateful.
"Hunger doesn’t wear club colours."
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