Mayflower 400 Southampton

Giving Thanks

Giving Thanks is our campaign to create digital memories that bring the people of Southampton together in a shared celebration of our city and our communities. During this difficult time, it’s more important than ever to celebrate and share the important things that make a difference to our lives every day, however small.

The Finale artwork

Our Giving Thanks campaign ran between Thanksgiving, November 2020 and Valentine’s, February 2021. It was designed to create digital memories that bring the people of Southampton together in a shared celebration of our city and communities, over 300 people of all ages joined in through social media channels and online interviews. Thanks to funding from Arts Council England and the Barker-Mill Foundation, artists Shared Space and Light have produced this new digital artwork which pulls the community-generated content together. This online show tells the story of our city and its people at this unique moment in time using motion graphics and 3D animation.

 

Shared Space and Light are artists who strongly believe in the power of video projection to bring people together. Collaboration is central to what they do, they have worked alongside a diverse range of communities as well as musicians, set designers and theatre companies. They said: “This project has been an exciting challenge, working together in difficult times and we hope to create a memorable celebration for Southampton. Thank you so much for all your contributions online and over Zoom!”

What is Giving Thanks? 

We want to encourage you to share with us what you give thanks for, on a day-to-day basis, and how you give thanks. Take to social media and using the hashtag #MyGivingThanks share photos, images, videos, stories, poems of the things for which you are grateful; maybe that’s your pets, your parents, or your local park. 

To find out more about how you can get involved in Giving Thanks, including opportunities for community groups and charities, click here.

Here are some of your submissions

#MyGivingThanks by GO! Southampton and City Eye

We’ve teamed up with GO! Southampton and City Eye to share stories from around Southampton which demonstrate how people have come together to support one another during Covid-19. Has someone made a difference to you this year? Why not thank them using #MyGivingThanks

A Giving Thanks tree by Bitterne C of E Primary – Class 5SB

Poem by Lizzy Aimes, team member at Southampton City Councl – Missing, Exploited Trafficked team. Read the full poem here. 

Read these fabulous thankful poems by the Year 7 Graphics students at Regents Park Community College.

Community Groups Give Thanks

In January 2021, we teamed up with Our Version Media and Southampton Voluntary Services to provide training for several local community groups. The training supports groups and charities to tell their stories through video for social media, highlighting the scope of the wonderful work they do in our communities.

Below you can see some of the wonderful films they have created as part of #MyGivingThanks

Charity Nominations for Giving Thanks

We’re thrilled to announce the winners of our Southampton charity / community group prizes as part of #MyGivingThanks, in partnership with Southampton Voluntary Services

The groups were nominated by people who’ve experienced or benefited from the wonderful work they do. Each group will receive £150 as a big thank you.

The winner of the ‘most creative post’ is Communicare in Southampton They befriend and support isolated people across the city. Read the poem here.

Winners of the ‘most inspiring story of thanks’ are Rose Road Association They work with children and adults with complex and multiple disabilities and health needs and their families in Southampton. Read the story here.

‘Most reshared message’ winners are: SO:Lets Connect Digitally connecting people. SO:Let’s Connect aims to reduce isolation by increasing digital connectivity. Watch their video here. 

1st Runner Up – The G.E.Ms team at Kingsland Community Centre, a volunteer run organisation who supply the vulnerable & families with food parcels.

2nd runner up – The Basics Bank, Southampton City Mission who give out free food & clothes to those in need in Southampton.

“Thank you very much for making submissions possible in all their various forms, and for all your behind the scenes work in curating them all to bring together the mosaic for others to benefit so greatly.  It is truly appreciated.”

A huge #MyGivingThanks to everyone who took part!

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