Hampshire Cricket Foundation

Hampshire Cricket Foundation is Hampshire Cricket’s official charity and is aligned to Utilita Bowl

About The Foundation

The Hampshire Cricket Foundation was created to support local people and in particular to support worthwhile projects in our local community.

Over the years the Foundation has raised over £1.2m to support projects in the local community and our projects include working with local schools and cricket clubs.

The key objectives of the Foundation are to raise money to support our local community and to help those disadvantaged to benefit from the positive impact that playing and following sport can deliver.

Read on to discover recent Foundation highlights and achievements.

Foundation Achievements

Hawks Academy Project - established 2022

This project gave numerous opportunities for children, who would not otherwise have access to sport to play in the Academy pathway team. The Academy team has been rolled out to Basingstoke and we continue efforts to allow the project to roll out into Portsmouth within the next 12 months. Read more about the roll out here

£30,000 raised for the Foundation at Lashes Ladies Lunch in 2023

The return of the annual Ladies luncheon saw an amazing £30,000 raised via a number of activities including an auction, raffle and the event itself. The event in aid of the Foundation will return in 2024 and there are a number of sponsorship and partnership opportunities available.

With over 10 partners already on board, please contact Carole for further information, if you would like to be a part of this event, for a fantastic cause.

£5,000 donation to local food bank in 2023

Food Centre is an initiative, run by Kings Community Church, that provides free food to families struggling during the cost-of-living crisis.

The Hampshire Cricket Foundation provided the grant to the centre, based in Hedge End, allowing them to purchase an industrial fridge and crucial supplies to help maintain and improve their service. Read the full story here

Upcoming Projects - 2024

Working with South Downs Equine Therapy

The Foundation have donated £10,000 to South Downs Equine Therapy to provide autistic children with a therapy horse, that will make a significant difference to these children. SDET have been to Ireland and Derbyshire to look at horses and the search has now concluded.

The horse is currently being trialled to check it's a perfect match, for the children. Stay tuned on our social channels @utilitabowl to see updates on the progress of this.

Supporting Hampshire Cricket Board

A donation of £27,000 to Hampshire Cricket Board has been made, by the Foundation to utilise in a number of ways, which will aim to support underpriviledged children this summer.

Hampshire Cricket Board are going to be offering free meals throughout the summer holidays to children in need, they will also be expanding their activities for young people in more urban areas beyond Southampton, Portsmouth and Basingstoke. A 'walking cricket' project will also be introduced across the county.

Stay tuned on social media to monitor the efforts of Hampshire Cricket Board and see the plans come to fruition.

Donation to Priory School, Porstmouth

The local school has received a donation of £22,000, from Hampshire Cricket Foundation - in order to supply nets to allow the children at the school to have the ability to play sport, this year.

The Foundation is delighted to be supporting a local school and looks forward to the installation of these nets and the children's reactions to being able to play cricket!

Hampshire Cricket Foundation to support Light The South Event

The Foundation have teamed up with Southampton Hospitals Charity and donated £20,000 to support Light The South: Southampton Hospitals Charity Event.

Over the summer of 2024 Southampton Hospitals Charity will be lighting up the South with a large scale public art event, that promises to captivate your senses and ignite your imagination.

The Foundation is delighted to be a key partner in this activation and will be enlisting the help of numerous cricket players to design our very own Light House, which will not only be part of the art trail, but be eventually auctioned to raise funds for Southampton Hospitals Charity. Learn more about the event here