Hampshire appoint new Appeals Director

Hampshire County Cricket Club (HCCC) have recently appointed Rob Hughes as appeal director of the Club's Hampshire Cricket 2000 Appeal.

Hughes 53, will be heading the Club's capital appeal which will augment the £14 million already received from the National Lottery, the sale of the Club's current ground at Northlands Road, grants and donations towards the development of the Club's new First-class Oval and `sporting village' at West End, Southampton.

Prior to his appointment, Hughes was campaign director at the Sail Training Association where he masterminded a multi-million pound major gifts campaign to build two new square rigged training ships designed specifically for young people aged 16 - 24 years.

Work on Hampshire's 150 acre site, which includes the now open County Golf Course, is progressing well with the Club's 2ndXI due to play and test both the Nursery and the First-class grounds later this summer. A full First-class programme is due to start in April 2001.

Commenting on his appointment, Hughes said "I am delighted to be involved in such an outstanding initiative, particularly one that will offer greater community participation in sport by providing first-class facilities to meet the sport and leisure needs of Hampshire and surrounding counties.

"There is much work to do nefore the Appeal is launched but I am looking forward to developing and active and successful Appeal that will support the Club in its plans to play a leading role in the future of English cricket at all levels."

HCCC's chairman, Brian Ford, added "We are delighted that Rpb has joined our team and will be heading our capital appeal. His background and experience will be of enormous value in developing our fundraising strategy."