HOLLY Bellingham insists she is still as devoted and committed to Ipswich Town as ever despite being marginalised by new owner Marcus Evans.

HOLLY Bellingham insists she is still as devoted and committed to Ipswich Town as ever despite being marginalised by new owner Marcus Evans.

Like all the other former directors Bellingham, who lives in Lavenham, saw the value of her shares reduced dramatically when Evans purchased 87.5% of the club.

She went from being one of the main stakeholders with the maximum 15%, to owning less than 15% of the remaining 12.5% of shares, not bought by the new owner.

By buying shares and purchasing loan notes which were later converted to shares, Bellingham, along with other directors, staved off further financial difficulties for Town until they were able to find a major investor to take over the running of the club.Although no longer a major decision maker Bellingham accepts the club has to move forward and looks to play her part in other ways.

The chairman of Marketform said: “The club is going through an enormous period of change and is still in a honeymoon period but the future now lies in someone else's hands.

“My husband Simon and I were very pleased to be able to help when I could, but life moves on.

“We are still involved with fundraising for the Community Trust which we are delighted to do and continue to support the club we love.”

Bellingham has also recently accepted an invitation to join the Ipswich Town Supporters' Trust, Ipswich 1st.

She said: “Carl Day, Colin Kriedewolf and Liz Edwards, sweetly asked if I would consider joining and I was pleased to do so.

“I don't think it is as much what I can do for them as what they did for me by inviting me on board and being a friend of the trust, which I felt I should do.”

Bellingham helped organise a charity cricket match in Lavenham on Sunday, at which the village side, led by Mark Ramprakash took on the Bunburys.