Ipswich Town Fans Supporting Foodbanks is calling on the Blue Army to show their generosity once again with collections ahead of the upcoming home games against Portsmouth on Saturday and Norwich City eight days later.
The Portsmouth collection will run between midday and 2pm ahead of the 3pm kick-off and for the East Anglian derby opens earlier, at 10am until 11.30am, with the game getting under way at noon. As usual, collection points are in the FanZone and opposite Planet Blue.
At the last derby two seasons ago, Ipswich and Norwich supporters put their rivalries to one side and came together to raise more than £5,000, which was split between Suffolk-based FIND (Families in Need) and Norwich Foodbank. That spirit of unity demonstrated that, even in one of English football’s most passionate rivalries, supporters can work together to fight food poverty.
Since beginning in January 2023, the fan-led initiative has raised more than £20,000 for FIND, alongside countless crates of non-perishable food generously donated by supporters. Contributions from both home and away fans have become a cornerstone of the matchday experience, showing once more that football’s power extends far beyond the pitch.
The ongoing cost of living crisis continues to impact families across Suffolk with Ipswich ranking among the worst-affected towns in the UK for child poverty. The work of FIND, supported by Ipswich Town fans, remains vital in helping local families put food on the table.
Organiser Charlie Nixon said: "Matchdays bring us together as a community, and that’s what this is all about. Every interaction we have makes a difference for local families struggling right now.
"We’re excited to collect at this season’s derby. At our last meeting fans from both sides proved that hunger doesn’t wear club colours. With two big fixtures coming up, we know Town fans will once again step up and show the true spirit of our club.”
Ipswich Town Fans Supporting Foodbanks is part of the national Fans Supporting Foodbanks movement, which originated with Liverpool and Everton supporters in 2015. The initiative now spans 40-plus clubs across the English footballing pyramid, all united under the principle that Hunger Doesn't Wear Club Colours.
Ipswich Town Fans Supporting Foodbanks can be contacted via ITFC.FSF@gmail.com, while they can be found on Facebook here and on Twitter here. Donations can be made via a GoFundMe page here.