On Friday morning, riders geared up for a 225-mile journey from Ipswich to Huddersfield with nearly £100,000 raised so far in honour of former town player Marcus Stewart, who suffers from Motor Neuron Disease (MND).
Setting off from the stadium around 8am in what was already blazing heat, the cyclists will ride through the weekend to reach Huddersfield on Sunday, June 21 which is also World MND Day.
One of the teams of cyclists that set of from Portman Road to Lockwood Park in Huddersfield (Image: Oli Picton)
Former Ipswich Town commercial director Sean Jarvis (left) gave a rousing speech before the group set off (Image: Oli Picton)
One of the riders is former Ipswich Town commercial director Sean Jarvis, who spoke to the riders ahead of setting off, he said: “When we sat down originally we thought we could get 10 or 20 riders and raise £20,000.
“But looking here there is around 150 of us and we have raised nearly £100,000 and the effort that has gone on behind the scenes has been amazing.
The riders donned jerseys with Stewart 9 on the back (Image: Oli Picton)
“What’s the reason we’re doing it? Well we have a name on the back of our shirts, and you know if one of your family is suffering then everyone suffers.
“Marcus Stewart is one of our family, we are here for him, we are lucky to be cycling, that poor [bloke] can’t do it so that’s why we are doing it.
Around 150 riders all signed a jersey for Marcus Stewart (Image: Oli Picton)
Marcus Stewart was a fan favourite at Portman Road (Image: Newsquest)
“That’s why we’re here now. With every turn of the wheel we get closer to the goal now, so go well – we have three days of really hard work ahead.”
Former forward Stewart became Ipswich Town’s most expensive signing at the time when he signed for blues from Huddersfield Town in 2000 and is remembered fondly by both clubs.
In 2022 he was diagnosed with MND, which has left him unable to use one of his arms and has since become a campaigner raising funds and awareness for the Darby Rimmer MND association.