Steve Kirby donates £26,000 to the Foundation

Town fan Steve Kirby has donated £26,000 to the Ipswich Town Foundation through Vodafone’s VeryMe rewards.

Steve, who won a total of £50,000 through the national competition and could choose which charities he wanted to donate to, opted to donate over 50 per cent to the Foundation and in turn contribute to making the Club more accessible for disabled supporters whilst also improving the Foundation’s community engagement.

Saturday marks International Day of Persons with Disabilities and disabled Blues fans can look forward to new equipment and activities in the matchday FanZone.

Additional sensory packs for supporters with autism and anxiety have been purchased with the donation, while more headsets for users of the Soccer Sight service have also been ordered and will help enhance the matchday experience for visually impaired fans.

Accessible disability benches for use in the FanZone are now in place, and the donation will also contribute to additional activities and equipment for disabled supporters both young and old on matchdays and from the Foundation as part of further community engagement.

“I am really pleased to have donated this money to the Foundation,” Steve told the Club website.

“Essentially, I won a nationwide competition to help fund a charity, school or any sort of sports club with money to help with sport services and I am delighted that part of that is going to the Foundation.

“The fund will also help take the FanZone ‘on the road’ and again increase the presence in the community.

“I was also invited down to Playford Road and had a great experience, including lunch with the first-team and the manager Kieran McKenna.”

Dan Palfrey, Director of the Foundation, added: “We really appreciate Steve’s generosity.

“This will go a long way to enhancing the matchday experience for disabled supporters, as well as the Foundation’s general presence and services in the community.

“All we can say to Steve is thank you.”

To learn more about the Foundation and the vital work the charitable arm of the Club undertakes, click here.