Hampshire Cricket, in association with Eastleigh Borough Council has established Hampshire Cricket Community Trust that will help to bring more sporting opportunity to the local and regional communities, increase the Club’s community engagement and widen the appeal of the Ageas Bowl.

The first project to benefit from the Community Trust scheme is the Poseidon Boxing Club, whose training facilities have been established on the first floor of the Ageas Bowl’s Colin Ingleby-Mackenzie Stand. The new state of the art Poseidon boxing gym facilities, that received £25,000 of investment from the Council, were officially opened by Mayor of Eastleigh Cllr Rupert Kyrle and Hampshire Chairman Rod Bransgrove in front of an audience of representatives from a range of local sports groups, clubs and organisations.

Moving forward, the Trust will focus its activity and funds towards a number of key areas, including school visits from Hampshire players, a study support centre at the Ageas Bowl and a small grant scheme. In addition, a range of exciting events will be held each year with the aim of raising money for the Trust.

Hampshire Cricket Chairman, Rod Bransgrove said; “RB Sport and Leisure Holdings ltd – the parent company of the Ageas Bowl and Hampshire Cricket – made a commitment to itself and to the England and Wales Cricket Board to establish a community trust in 2013 in order to provide a legacy from the staging of International cricket matches in the form of community engagement and support.

“Its reach will start immediately outside the entrance to the Ageas Bowl in West End, Hedge End and Botley and include the wider communities of one of the Trust’s principal stakeholders, Eastleigh Borough Council, extending to the borders of Hampshire and beyond while incorporating major urban centres including Southampton, Portsmouth, Bournemouth and Basingstoke.

“The establishment of this Trust, therefore, is very exciting and something that people all over the county of Hampshire should be thrilled about. It will offer anyone with a pre-existing love of sport many opportunities to explore their passion as well as, hopefully, inspiring others to enjoy an active lifestyle.

“We will very soon, be announcing a range of other events and initiatives relating to the Hampshire Cricket Community Trust and we hope that the residential and business communities in Eastleigh and across Hampshire will support us to make this exciting endeavour a success.”

Mayor of Eastleigh Councillor Rupert Kyrle added, “We are thrilled to be working the Ageas Bowl to support the Hampshire Cricket Community Trust. The Council is fully committed to this initiative and has invested £25,000 in the new Poseidon boxing club facility. These are exciting times and I am sure that the Poseidon club, together with other future projects, will help to inspire local people to enjoy and / or participate in a range of sport and leisure activities.”

Mayor Cllr Rupert Kyle and Hampshire Cricket Chairman Rod Bransgrove with members of Poseidon Boxing Club