Blues season ticket holder Steve Kirby has donated £26,000 to the Ipswich Town Foundation having won £50,000 in Vodafone’s VeryMe awards.
Steve won £50,000 in the national competition and had to pick which charities would receive the cash, opting to donate more than 50 per cent to the Foundation with the aim of making the club more accessible for disabled supporters and improving the Foundation’s community engagement.
This Saturday is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities and disabled supporters can look forward to seeing new equipment and activities in the FanZone.
From Steve’s funds, additional sensory packs for autistic fans and those with anxiety have been purchased, while headsets for users of the Soccer Sight service are on order.
Accessible disability benches are now in place in the FanZone with the donation also set to fund further activities and equipment for disabled supporters.
"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.”
Foundation director Dan Palfrey 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.”