Inverness Caledonian Thistle has kicked off a campaign to help socially-isolated older people.
The club’s community trust has signed up to the SPFL Trust’s new look Festive Friends at Home initiative.
Normally, SPFL club stadia host Christmas lunches for local people and almost 4,000 people have enjoyed an event in the last four years.
But with physical distancing rules making that impossible this year, the clubs are instead making thousands of doorstep visits.
Craig Masterton, head of community at ICT community trust, said: “This year has been challenging for us all. During lockdown we run our #icttogetherness campaign visiting and delivering Covid survival packages to some elderly members of the community.
“I am delighted to be involved in the Festive Friends initiative again this year and with the added twist of delivering the packages to the community is welcomed to continue this in these challenging times.”
In all, 37 associated community trusts are taking part in the campaign which is backed by £87,700 from Edinbrugh-based investor James Anderson and an anonymous donor.
More than 2,400 people will receive a visit and a Christmas hamper delivered by their local SPFL club. Trusts receive referrals through existing programmes, external partners and public agencies.
SPFL trust interim chief executive Warren Hawke said the scheme is more than sending out Christmas hampers: “It’s about delivering compassion, patience and kindness at the end of a year when it’s never meant more.”