MOTOR Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) is the chosen charity of Ipswich Wanderers FC for the Suffolk Champions Charity Cup.

Ipswich Wanderers, winners of the 2021-22 CNet Training Suffolk Senior Cup, face Turners Hyundai Suffolk Premier Cup winners Needham Market in the Suffolk Champions Charity Cup match at Bloomfields, home of Needham Market FC, on Tuesday, July 12th, kick-off 7.30pm.

Anyone purchasing a ticket online for the match will be supporting the charity of their choice.

To purchase a ticket for the match click here

Janet Oliver, who has been a volunteer with the Motor Neurone Disease Association Suffolk Group for 38 years, explains the charity’s work.

First of all tell us about the work undertaken by your charity?

The Suffolk Group raises funds and receives donations into the Suffolk Group bank account.

Our aim is to provide care and support for people with MND, their families and carers in Suffolk.

This often involves funding appropriate equipment, which is not available through the Statutory Services, to people in a timely manner as the disease can sometimes progress swiftly. We also fund Support Meetings in East and West Suffolk to enable people living with MND have the opportunity to meet others in similar situations which helps them feel less isolated.

There also four trained Volunteer Visitors in Suffolk who meet people in their own homes if requested.

In addition to the above we aim to raise awareness of the disease.

Occasionally donors may request that funds be directed for MND Research, in which case we arrange for the funds to be transferred to the National Office.

Where is your charity based?

The National Office of the MNDA is based in Northampton, but our Group is based in Suffolk

How many people work for your charity – full-time staff, if any, and also the number of volunteers?

Staff are employed in the national office but the Suffolk Group is entirely supported by unpaid volunteers.

Have you linked with Ipswich Wanderers FC in the past?

A local footballer, Jerry Thorpe, was diagnosed with MND in 2019 and passed away in 2021.

Jerry played for a number of football clubs in and around Ipswich during his career, one of the clubs being Ipswich Wanderers. After Jerry set up the Ipswich non-league facebook site, a lot of ex-footballers came together to share their experiences, stories and photographs of the football scene from years ago.

Ipswich Wanderers received the Thurlow Nunn Team Performance award for December/January and chose the Motor Neurone Disease Association to receive a £100 donation from the league sponsors.

Jerry Thorpe, who was diagnosed with MND in 2019 and passed away in 2021.

The team chose the MNDA in memory of Jerry and organised a veterans’ charity football match to raise funds for the Motor Neurone Disease Association

The charity football match brought a lot of ex-local amateur players together whilst raising awareness and money for MND. Steven Swift approached Alan Dilloway, who played with and managed Jerry. He also managed Wanderers, so it seemed fitting that the game should be played at Humber Doucy. Steven approached Stephen Boyle, the club chairman, and he immediately said that Wanderers would support the event. Due to the success and appetite for such a game, this will now be an annual event.

The veterans’ football game was held in Jerry’s memory on June 18th at Humber Doucy Lane and two ex-professional footballers, John Wark and Ruel Fox, took part in the game.

How will being the club’s chosen charity help you?

Being the club’s chosen charity will enable us to continue to support people living with MND and their families and carers in Suffolk

If anyone wishes to find out more about your charity where can they do so?

Find out more by contacting the MND Association https://www.mndassociation.org

Finally, if anyone wishes to help support your charity who should they contact and how?

Contact Janet Oliver on 01359 241084 or to visit the MNDA Suffolk Support Group website click here

The teams (above and main photograph) that took part in the veterans’ charity football match at Ipswich Wanderers FC in June to raise funds for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.