Ipswich Town Fans call for Advent calendar donations to support families in need
They'll be at Portman Road collecting donations
Last updated 19th Nov 2025
Supporters heading to Ipswich Town’s match against Wrexham tomorrow (Saturday, 22nd of November 2025) are being urged to donate advent calendars to help families across Suffolk struggling with the cost of Christmas.
Ipswich Town Fans Supporting Foodbanks, who collect outside Portman Road throughout the year, say demand for help has grown as winter sets in.
George Gray, who volunteers with the group, said:
“We collect throughout the year, often one game a month. As winter approaches, we’re particularly looking for winter items, such as thicker clothes, the usual long-life food donations, and cash donations. But alongside that is the Advent calendars.”
He also told us that child poverty is a major issue in Ipswich. Recent data published by the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) shows the town ranks 48th out of 361 local authorities in the UK for child poverty, with 29.3% of under-16s living in low-income households.
This means thousands of children in the area face daily financial hardship, reinforcing the importance of campaigns like the Advent Calendar drive to bring a little festive relief to struggling families.
He said many families the group supports cannot afford even small festive treats:
“Some people and families can’t afford to make their Christmas special, and we’re seeing a lot of families who can’t afford it… We can help provide Advent calendars.”
Alongside the calendars, Gray said warm clothing is urgently needed as temperatures drop.
“It’s the usual food donations, cash donations, and then warm winter clothing too. We take clothing as well when we collect… particularly as we know it’s starting to drop in temperature.”
He said the idea of children going without coats this winter was “astonishing”, after hearing estimates that 300,000 children across the UK are without one.
“That’s astonishing and it’s crazy.”
Asked what difference the donations make to families across Suffolk, he said:
“It makes such a difference. When you’re a family and you can barely afford to put food on the table, to then have people support with these additional bits like advent calendars and Christmas presents around Christmas, which is the most expensive time of the year, it means so much to them. We do hear from families that the support the fans provide means the world to them.”
Volunteers will be collecting before Saturday’s match between 12pm and 2.30pm, opposite the Planet Blue store on Portman Road and near the FanZone.
Gray said the group’s work is rooted in the belief that the community should look after one another.
“I live in Ipswich and it means a lot to me… To have food poverty in the UK is bad enough, but for Ipswich to be up there, it’s kind of shameful. The movement is all about solidarity and not charity, and we need to come together as people and as fans to make sure everyone’s been looked after in society.”
He added:
“Whatever the weather is, we’ll be there with good vibes and we look forward to seeing the fans down there.”