Ipswich Town academy players fund day of care at children's hospices
Players from the under 9 and under 15 teams have raised almost £5,900 for charity
A day of care at East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH) across Suffolk and East Essex is being funded by Ipswich Town academy players.
Between January and February, the under 9 and under 15 players each ran, walked or jogged 40 miles, as a way of keeping active during lockdown and raising money for a good cause.
In total the Walking Apart, Moving Together challenge saw them cover a collective 4,000 miles and raise £5,855 for EACH.
The money is being used to fund care at the charity's hospices in the area tomorrow (21 May), a day after ITFC's 40th anniversary of its UEFA Cup Win on 20 May 1981.
Simon Tricker, Lead Foundation Phase Coach, said:
"As an academy we wanted to give something back at a time that’s challenging for everyone. This is a time to come together and help, and be there for others who need it most. The children and families at EACH face challenges every day and this made EACH a very relevant charity to support.
"We are incredibly proud of the efforts of our academy players and the manner in which they’ve taken on this challenge. Thank you to everyone who has sponsored us so that we can raise as much money as possible for this fantastic charity."
Billie Race, EACH Suffolk and East Essex Corporate Fundraiser, said:
"I know the boys who took part in this challenge were so committed, braving all conditions, including snow, and it’s fantastic their efforts will pay for an entire day of care and support.
"Fundraising like this is vital to us at any time, let alone now after a year of such disruption to our normal income, and as demand for our service grows, with families exhausted from prolonged periods of shielding. We can’t thank the Ipswich academy enough and hope all the boys feel, rightly, very proud of their achievements."
Donations can still be made for the academy's efforts via their Just Giving page.