Hampshire Cricket has announced a donation of more than £50,000 to Southampton Hospitals Charity, as part of the Club’s ongoing fundraising efforts.
The funds will directly support the construction of a new rehabilitation space at University Hospital Southampton’s General Intensive Care Unit, helping to enhance the care, experience and outcomes for thousands of patients at the facility.
The donation, which was presented to Southampton Hospitals Charity at the Ageas Bowl prior to Hampshire’s first home Vitality Blast match against Sussex, has been raised through a combination of charity auctions, donations from ticket purchasers and profits from the sale of replica Hampshire 2020 playing shirts.
David Mann, Hampshire Cricket Chief Executive, said: “We wanted to create a permanent legacy from the behind-closed-doors Internationals which were held at the Ageas Bowl this summer, whilst also supporting the incredible work being done by the NHS. We organised a number of fundraising initiatives through the course of the summer and have so far raised over £50,000 which will help to fund the construction of a rehabilitation centre in the new Intensive Care Unit at the University Hospital Southampton, and directly support their life-saving work.
“We received fantastic support from our stakeholders and commercial partners and from everyone who bid for auction lots or kindly donated to the cause and we are extremely grateful for this. We’re looking forward to continuing our efforts in partnership with University Hospital Southampton, and hope to raise further funds throughout the remainder of this year and into 2021.”
Max Jonas, General Intensive Care Unit Consultant at University Hospital Southampton, said: “We’re so grateful for the support from Hampshire Cricket to support our Rehabilitation Space in the new GICU. Having a dedicated space to further enhance the care of patients will have a major impact on outcomes and would just not be possible without the support of our local businesses and community.”
Hampshire Cricket are further demonstrating their support for Southampton Hospitals Charity this season with all 2020 playing kits, including those worn in this summer’s Bob Willis Trophy and Vitality Blast, carrying the NHS logo.
To purchase a shirt, visit www.ageasbowlshop.co.uk.