Classy Aston Villa donate 850 packed lunches for postponed Chelsea clash to the homeless after coronavirus

ASTON VILLA have donated 850 packed lunches o charity after the Premier League was suspended because of coronavirus.

It was announced on Friday morning that all games would be postponed until April 3 in order to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.

Aston Villa have donated 850 packed lunches to charity after the Premier League was suspended

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The outbreak has also resulted in the cancellation of many other high-profile sporting events, including the London Marathon, Champions League, The Masters, Europa League, Women’s Super League  and several F1 Grand Prix.

The NBA season, Wales v Scotland Six Nations clash, Serie A, La Liga, Bundesliga, MLS, Chinese Super League, Scottish Premiership, EFL and Ligue 1 have all been hit as well.

It comes with the UK gripped by the crisis with millions of Brits sent home from work with over 500 confirmed cases and 10 deaths.

A total of 850 packed lunches had been prepared for staff for the game against Chelsea, which was due to take place on Saturday.

But after the news of the game being held off, following positive tests for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Chelsea star Callum Hudson-Odoi, the food would have gone to waste.

Not on Villa’s watch.

The West Midlands club made the choice to donate all of the food to charity – and are calling on organisations to get in touch to collect from Villa Park.

Fans have reacted to the gesture, expressing their happiness at the act of kindness.

One fan, Nancy Spear tweeted this: ”This kind of stuff I want to see!! Way to work together, people!”

Another tweet simply reads: ”Well done villa.”

A club tweet read: ”850 staff packed lunches and hot food for tomorrow’s postponed game is being donated to support homeless charities.

”If your organisation is interested and able to collect food from Villa Park by 4.30pm today.

The Aston Villa foundation confirmed on their Twitter account on Friday that all of the packed lunches have been allocated to a number of homeless charities and shelters.

Fulham and Tranmere Rovers have also vowed to do the same, tweeting their own plans to do so.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta along with Chelsea star Callum Hudson-Odoi tested positive for the deadly virus, with Hudson-Odoi later taking to social media to assure the public that he is fine in the wake of all of the panic.

He said in a video: ”As you may be aware, I had the virus for the last couple of days which I have recovered from.

”I am following the health guidelines and self-isolating myself from everybody for the week. I hope to see everybody soon and hopefully will be back on the pitch very soon.”

Official advice from Public health England is that most people will no longer be likely to transmit the virus seven days after the onset of symptoms.

Those who have had contact with someone with the virus but has not yet shown symptoms, should self-isolate for 14 days.

Everton closed their training facilities after a member of the first-team squad reported a high temperature.

Five Bournemouth employees are also self-isolating.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk