Hampshire Cricket launch partnership with hospital to raise money for new intensive care unit

Hampshire players (from left) Mason Crane, Keith Barker and Sam Northeast with University Hospital staff in Southampton. Picture: Hampshire Cricket

The partnership with Southampton Hospitals Charity, which runs until the end of 2021, will see Hampshire fundraise for a new rehabilitation zone within the general intensive care unit (GICU) at University Hospital Southampton.

The requirement for the facility has been exacerbated by the pandemic.

Hampshire players Sam Northeast, Mason Crane and Keith Barker attended the launch event where they unveiled the new kits, met NHS staff from the GICU and were given a guided tour of the new rehabilitation zone’s construction.

NHS worker Gemma Rix holds up one of the 2020 Hampshire shirts outside University Hospital in Southampton. Picture: Hampshire Cricket

All of Hampshire’s new kits, including those to be worn in this summer’s Bob Willis Trophy and Vitality T20 Blast, will carry the NHS logo.

All profits from sales of replica shirts will be donated to Southampton Hospitals Charity.

Hampshire’s fundraising efforts began earlier this month with the launch of a charity auction, which closed this week having seen over £31,000 of bids placed.

Proceeds from the auction will suppor both the new rehabilitation zone and work done by theHampshire Cricket Foundation.

David Mann, Hampshire Cricket Chief Executive, said: ‘The NHS have been on the front line throughout this pandemic and we owe them a great debt of gratitude.

‘We wanted to show our support for their efforts and helping to raise funds for the redevelopment of the GICU gives us the opportunity to do so; we are very grateful for everyone who has helped us in our efforts so far.

‘We have a number of further initiatives planned over the course of the summer.

‘We’ve raised a lot of money so far but we’d love to be able to do much more for the hospital and its incredible staff.’

In addition to the auction, over £10,000 has been raised courtesy of the generosity of would-be attendees to the Ageas Bowl’s two scheduled England matches this summer – an ODI against Australia and anIT20 against Pakistan.

The postponements of those games meant ticket buyers could request a refund, a ticket exchange or donate the value of their tickets to support the work of the Hospitals charity.

Jeneen Thomsen, Joint Interim Director at Southampton Hospitals Charity, said: ‘Every year, the unit sees around 2,500 seriously ill patients in need of critical life-saving care, and over the last few months the unit has seen an additional pressure due to coronavirus.

‘The renovation of the department will ensure that patients will be treated in an environment which matches the exemplary medical care provided, and this will only be possible through support from our community and corporate partners.’