Following a triumphant North American tour and ahead of the biggest UK headline tour of their career, Squeeze are once again calling on their fans to help tackle food poverty by supporting the anti-poverty charity Trussell and its nationwide community of food banks.
The legendary British band, led by Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, will kick off their Tried, Tested and Trixies Tour at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro on November 12, with Billy Bragg joining them as Very Special Guest throughout the 16-date run.
Alongside the music, Squeeze will continue a longstanding commitment to supporting people struggling to afford the essentials. Collection points will be available at venues throughout the tour, where concertgoers can donate non-perishable food items or make financial contributions. Donations will go to local food banks in Trussell’s community, helping provide emergency food and support to people facing hardship.
The initiative continues a relationship that began in 2018, when Glenn Tilbrook first started collecting donations for Trussell at his solo shows. Squeeze subsequently embraced the cause on their UK tours, with the generosity of their audiences helping to make a tangible difference to communities across the country.
To date, fans attending Squeeze and Glenn Tilbrook shows have donated an extraordinary 5.15 tons of food and raised £72,552 for Trussell’s community of food banks.
With another major tour about to begin, the band hope their audiences will once again rise to the challenge.
Glenn Tilbrook says: “When I first started collecting for food banks back in 2018, I had no idea how much our fans would take it to heart. The response has been overwhelming, and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together. But it’s deeply troubling that, eight years later, so many people are still struggling to put food on the table. The need hasn’t gone away, and neither has our determination to help. If you’re coming to see us, please bring something along if you can, whether it’s a few tins of food or a couple of pounds. The audiences have been brilliant in the past, and I’m hoping we can make this our biggest collection yet.”
Chris Difford adds “Our fans have been absolutely incredible in the way they’ve supported Trussell over the years. It’s genuinely moving to see people arriving at our shows carrying bags of food, knowing that what they’ve brought will help someone in the local community. We’ve always been very lucky to have such loyal and generous audiences, and this is another reminder of just how special they are. We’re hoping everyone will get behind the collections again on this tour. Even a small donation can make a real difference.”
Emma Revie, co-chief executive of Trussell, said: “Too many people this winter will be struggling to make ends meet, as families are forced to make impossible decisions like whether to put food on the table or turn their heating on.
“Shockingly, we expect our community of food banks to distribute around 600,000 emergency food parcels to people facing hunger and hardship this winter. This isn’t right, and we refuse to stand by while so many of us can’t afford to eat, keep warm and pay the bills.
“That’s why we are so grateful to Squeeze for supporting Trussell once again on their upcoming tour. The band and their fans generosity will make a huge difference and allow our food banks to continue providing vital support to people without enough money to live on.”
The appeal comes as food banks across the UK continue to face enormous pressure, with winter traditionally bringing increased demand as households struggle with the rising costs of heating, food and other essentials.
Figures published by Trussell revealed that food banks in its community provided more than 2.6 million emergency food parcels last year – equivalent to one parcel every 12 seconds and an increase of 45% compared with the same period before the pandemic.
Alarmingly, more than 900,000 of those parcels were provided for children. The charity also reported an alarming rise in hardship among older people – with the number of parcels provided to people aged 65 and over more than tripling between 2019 and 2025.
Trussell has warned that levels of need remain persistently high and continue to outpace donations. Many food banks say they are at breaking point with some having to purchase significant amounts of food simply to keep shelves stocked.
The figures underline why the support of bands such as Squeeze, and the generosity of their audiences, remains so important.
At each show on the Tried, Tested and Trixies Tour, audience members will be encouraged to bring donations of non-perishable food, which will be collected and passed on to local food banks.
Suggested items include tinned vegetables, fruit, meat and fish, soup, beans and pulses, pasta, rice, cereal, pasta sauces, tinned tomatoes, long-life milk, fruit juice, tea, coffee and biscuits. Toiletries and essential hygiene products may also be welcomed, depending on local requirements.
Fans are encouraged to check what their local food bank needs most before donating. Further information can be found via Trussell’s food donation guidance. For those unable to bring food, monetary donations will also be welcomed at the shows, enabling food banks to purchase essential supplies and respond to local needs.
Squeeze’s commitment to supporting communities extends beyond their work with Trussell. The band have also pledged £1 from every ticket sold on the UK tour to support grassroots music venues, artists and promoters, recognising the importance of the independent music scene and the vital role it plays in nurturing future generations of musicians.
The Tried, Tested and Trixies Tour follows a triumphant 27-date North American run that included performances at New York’s Radio City Music Hall and the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. The UK dates will see Squeeze headline some of the largest venues of their career, including London’s O2 Arena, just three miles from where the band began more than five decades ago.
The tour also celebrates the release of Trixies, the band’s critically acclaimed new studio album, which has an extraordinary story of its own. Originally conceived in 1974, when Chris Difford was just 19 and Glenn Tilbrook 16, the album was written before Squeeze had even made their first record. Set around a fictional nightclub and its colourful cast of characters, the songs remained unrealised for more than 50 years before the band finally returned to them.
Produced by Squeeze bassist Owen Biddle, Trixies is both the band’s first studio album in eight years and, remarkably, the first album they ever wrote. The record has received widespread acclaim, with MOJO awarding it five stars, declaring:
“Trixies sits comfortably beside Squeeze’s finest works of the late ’70s. It might even be better.”
Classic Pop described it as “MAGNIFICENT”, while Record Collector hailed it as “one of the albums of 2026.”
The forthcoming shows will bring together songs from Trixies with some of British pop’s most enduring classics, including ‘Up The Junction’, ‘Cool For Cats’, ‘Tempted’, ‘Another Nail In My Heart’ and ‘Labelled With Love’.
And while audiences can look forward to a celebration of more than 50 years of extraordinary songwriting, Squeeze hope the tour will also leave a lasting legacy in the communities they visit.
TRIED, TESTED AND TRIXIES TOUR 2026
Very Special Guest: Billy Bragg
Thursday 12 November: Glasgow, OVO Hydro
Friday 13 November: Blackpool, Opera House
Saturday 14 November: Nottingham, Motorpoint Arena
Monday 16 November: Newcastle, O2 City Hall
Tuesday 17 November: Stockton, Globe
Thursday 19 November: Hull, Connexin Live
Friday 20 November: Leeds, First Direct Bank Arena
Saturday 21 November: Liverpool, M&S Bank Arena
Monday 23 November: Manchester, O2 Apollo
Thursday 26 November: London, The O2
Friday 27 November: Cardiff, Utilita Arena
Saturday 28 November: Birmingham, Utilita Arena
Monday 30 November: Swansea, Building Society Arena
Tuesday 1 December: Plymouth, Pavilions
Friday 4 December: Bournemouth, International Centre
Saturday 5 December: Brighton, Centre
Trixies is out now via BMG.
For more information about Squeeze and the tour, visit Squeeze’s official website.
For information on donating food and supporting local food banks, visit Trussell
