CHARITIES from across the region were given Ipswich Town's seal of approval today when the club revealed those it will support over the next year.A total of 13 charities were given £788 each through the club – a share of the proceeds from last month's FA Community Shield.

CHARITIES from across the region were given Ipswich Town's seal of approval today when the club revealed those it will support over the next year.

A total of 13 charities were given £788 each through the club – a share of the proceeds from last month's FA Community Shield.

Both local and national charities were represented, together with four local hospitals and four hospices which were also promised support over the coming year.

"The club itself doesn't give cash donations, we took that decision some time ago before the current financial problems," said chairman David Sheepshanks.

"What we can do is offer our support – players and other staff can make personal appearances or we can offer goods or tickets for auction."

Being linked with the football club was important in itself said Louise Irving of the Ormiston Trust, which runs the Robert Milne Family Centre in Felixstowe Road.

"It is crucial in raising the profile of charities like us," she said. "We have 18 centres across East Anglia but our profile is not high when we are competing for attention with charities like Barnados or Oxfam.

"Having the support of the football club should help lift that and make it easier to make ourselves heard."