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.
Give Thanks this Valentine’s Day
Why not use Valentine’s Day to send a message of thanks to someone who has made a difference to you this year. It could be your significant other (as is traditional) but it could also be your friend or a family member, a colleague or team mate. Who would you like to send your thanks to?
Download one of our templates below and share the love with #MyGivingThanks this Valentine’s Day.

Download “thanks for being there” template
Download “amazing mum” template
Download “amazing colleague” template
Download thank you flower template (for your own message)
Download “great friend” template
Download cake template (for your own message)
Download valentine flower template (for your own message)
Ways to get involved
In the spirit of regularly giving thanks, with partners across the city, and funded by Barker-Mill Foundation, we have been preparing our own Giving Thanks programme. This was supposed to be a big get-together moment, a time for picnics, street parties, coffee mornings etc.. Unfortunately, this has not proved viable at any time this year. However, we still felt it was important, perhaps even more important, that we took a moment to acknowledge the things for which we are grateful.
What are you thankful for? Let us know by taking to social media and using the hashtag #MyGivingThanks share photos, images, videos, stories, poems of the things for which you are grateful.
Need more inspiration? Check out some of our idea packs below.
Further Opportunities
We really want local charities and grassroots community organisations get involved in Giving Thanks. As such, we have created some special opportunities in partnership with Southampton Voluntary Services specifically for those groups. Local community groups can access free social media training with Our Version Media CIC. You can also nominate a local charity you are personally thankful for – they could get a small donation as a result!
Giving Thanks will run until 14 February 2021, so there’s plenty of time to join in. As we go along, we will post up a selection of ‘thanks’ on our website and social media channels.
The Final Piece
We are thrilled that Shared Space and Light have been appointed to lead the artistic culmination of the Giving Thanks project. They will create content with communities and use photos and videos submitted by you to create an online animated artwork which brings everyone together in our increasingly virtual world. The final piece will be premiered here in Spring 2021.
Shared Space and Light are artists who strongly believe in the power of video projection to transform public spaces and bring people together. Collaboration is central to what they do, they have worked alongside a diverse range of communities as well as pyrotechnicians, musicians, set designers and theatre companies.
Shared Space and Light said “This a great opportunity to work together and create a memorable celebration for Southampton”
