Town fan to take on London Marathon for Darby Rimmer charity

Tom Bloomfield from Bury St Edmunds is to take on the marathon around the capital for the Darby Rimmer Foundation, an Motor Neurone Disease charity.

He decided to run for this charity in honour of Town legend Marcus Stewart, someone who Mr Bloomfield looked up to when he was younger.

Tom Bloomfield supporting Town at the Barnsley fixture last season (Image: Ross Halls)

The former Town striker who was part of the last Ipswich team to win promotion to the Premier League in 2000, was diagnosed with MND in September 2022.

Mr Bloomfield said: "He's a childhood hero of mine.

"We've seen the club do things for Darby Rimmer, as well as other Town fans, so I wanted to do my own personal thing to help.

Marcus Stewart was part of the Town team to win promotion to the Premier League in 2000 (Image: Newsquest)

Tom will run the marathon in his personalised Town shirt (Image: Tom Bloomfield)

"It's a fantastic charity that could use all the help."

This is the first big challenge the 29-year-old has set himself since he suffered a very serious injury playing football in August 2022.

He tore his ACL, MCL, dented his Patella and broke his wrist.

This required him to have surgery on his leg in January 2023.

Tom during his injury (Image: Submitted)

Tom received surgery on his leg in 2023 (Image: Tom Bloomfield)

He said: "I have wanted to do the London Marathon for a long time.

"I initially was accepted for the 2023 marathon but obviously couldn't compete.

"This marathon gave me a personal goal to aim towards. I have had to build myself back up.

"The first nine months after my surgery, it was about getting back to walking normally and doing more exercises.

Tom when he was young with his dad (Image: Submitted)

"The biggest thing is the mental barrier, once you've had that sort of injury, you don't want to do it again so that's the hardest thing to overcome.

"Getting over the line though and seeing how much we can raise will be fantastic and worth it though because every penny is going to go to what I believe is one of the most worthwhile causes around."

To donate to Mr Bloomfield's Marathon fundraiser, click here.

Watch Ross Halls' KOA special with Tom Bloomfield below.