THE borough’s largest employer is the latest organisation to become a major supporter of Destination Basingstoke.

Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which employs 2,800 people in Basingstoke, is now a core partner, supporting the not-for-profit company that promotes the town for its quality of life and business.

Mary Edwards, chief executive of Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The trust has always supported Destination Basingstoke’s work and projects, but their new initiative to encourage graduates to settle in the town is especially valuable to us.

“The trust is the town’s largest employer of graduates and so we felt it was time to get more formally involved.”

Mrs Edwards added the trust will also become event sponsors of the annual A Place to be Proud of Awards.

“These are all about celebrating the area’s supportive community and are very much in tune with the work of the trust and our own ‘WOW’ Awards,” said Mrs Edwards.

Destination Basingstoke works to celebrate the quality of life and business successes in the town and surrounding area, and is currently preparing to put on the Basingstoke-Half Marathon and INSPIRE Business awards as well as a full programme of roadshows at regional universities promoting the town’s employers and quality of life to graduates.

Destination Basingstoke managing director Felicity Edwards said: “As the largest employer in the town, it is very significant that Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust recognises the value of the work we are undertaking to attract and retain staff, and how this will contribute to their own success.

“As one of the most effective hospital trusts, we will benefit from their expertise in many areas and are looking forward to working with them.”

Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust joins The Purple Agency which has also recently become a core partner of Destination Basingstoke.

Other core partners include AXA Wealth, Tech Data, Croudace Homes, David Wilson Homes, Chineham Park, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, Festival Place, Muse Developments, Phillips Solicitors, Sentinel Housing Association and The University of Winchester.

Core sponsors make a medium-term commitment to funding the core costs of Destination Basingstoke to allow it to develop projects and initiatives that promote the area.