The Ipswich Town Community Trust marked their sixth year of delivering the national educational programme, Playing for Success, with a graduation ceremony at Town's Portman Road stadium recently.

Over 500 students, parents, friends and other relatives were invited to mark the occasion by taking part in a series of fun football skill related activities on the training pitch beside the stadium.

For those families who are avid Ipswich Town fans and regulars at Portman Road, there was the opportunity to try their hand at the Bootiful Game, the ball chipping challenge attempted throughout last season by fans during half-time in the first team games.

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The children and their guests also had the opportunity of testing their speed of shot against those recorded by the Town first team players.

The invited guests and students then moved onto the official graduation ceremony in the stadium's Galleria conference facility. Town players, Michael Synnott, Shane Supple, Liam Trotter, Ian Miller, Sammy Moore and Chris Casement were on hand to present medals and awards along with event sponsor, Suffolk New College's Tracey Bailey and Dave Stott. Town Chairman, David Sheepshanks, was also on hand to introduce the day's proceedings and welcome the guests.

Tracey Bailey and Mary Gleave from Suffolk New College, who have been loyal event sponsors of the Playing for Success graduation since its launch at ITFC in 2001, also presented Thomas Wolsey Special School's Deputy Headteacher, Matt Brackenbury and some of their students with a DVD player to thank the school for their continued participation in the scheme. All 19 participating schools are to receive a similar item.

Playing for Success continues to develop literacy; numeracy and ICT skills amongst students aged nine to 14 within the unique learning facilities at Portman Road which includes a purpose built ICT suite funded in partnership with Suffolk County Council.