The Beat Goes On, the campaign raising funds for a statue of Blues legend Kevin Beattie, has been handed a major boost after receiving the donation of the materials and manpower to build the plinth on which it will stand.
Ridgeons Timber and Builders Merchants at Martlesham Heath are donating the materials, while campaign committee member Mark Calver, who owns MC Contracts and the Greshams venue and restaurant in Tuddenham Road, Ipswich, will provide the manpower to put it in place.
Lifelong Town fan Calver (pictured above with Garry Smith from Ridgeons and fellow committee member Mark Murphy) said: "The plinth is the foundation of the statue, it is the starting point.
"We knew that if we could get the base sorted out then that would take a big chunk of the fundraising away, so we are closer to the target and it makes it more achievable.
"Kevin was a real supporters’ player. I think everyone has shown that with their support for the campaign, especially at the start of the campaign.
"I think that our goal is definitely manageable and we still have a few events lined up at Greshams in a few months’ time.
"All the ex-players are on board, they all want to do their bit. Even if you ask Terry Butcher, a former England captain, who is part of our campaign committee. He said he wasn’t as good as Kevin and that speaks volumes.”
Led by the EADT and Ipswich Star in conjunction with BBC Radio Suffolk and TWTD, The Beat Goes On was launched on December 18th last year on what would have been the Blues legend’s 65th birthday.
The initial fundraising target was £110,000 but, with the plinth donation worth thousands of pounds and with other work currently ongoing behind the scenes, a new lower figure will be confirmed shortly. Prior to the donation, the campaign had already surpassed the £20,000 mark.
EADT and Ipswich Star editor Brad Jones said: "This is an amazing gesture from both Mark and Ridgeons — we are so grateful.”
BBC Radio Suffolk’s Mark Murphy added: "It is amazing how much has been raised.
"We are heading towards £50,000 already and I just think it’s amazing although I’m not surprised.
"People loved Kevin Beattie and he loved them, it’s great the fans are getting involved with the fundraising and now to have a couple of businesses involved who have donated the plinth is brilliant.”
Town season ticket holder Sean Hedges-Quinn, known as Coach, who sculpted the statues of Sir Alf Ramsey and Sir Bobby Robson, is being commissioned for the project with preliminary discussions regarding the design having already taken place.
The statue is likely to be placed on the corner of Portman Road and the entrance to the Cattlemarket car park, diagonal to Sir Alf Ramsey and just along from Sir Bobby Robson.
You can make a donation online via the Go Fund Me page or send a cheque made payable to ‘The Beat Goes On’ to Kevin Beattie Statue Appeal, EADT, Portman House, 120 Princes Street, Ipswich, IP1 1RS.
There are also collection buckets at reception at the EADT’s offices and at BBC Radio Suffolk.
You can find The Beat Goes On campaign website here, while announcements regarding a number of fundraising events will be made in the coming weeks.