Residents enjoyed a free, fun-filled day of activities while learning more about the Building a Brighter Future programme at St. Mary’s Fire Station, Southampton, on Wednesday 27 May.

Building a Brighter Future is a partnership initiative aimed at improving outcomes for the people who live, work or visit the St. Mary’s area of the city by working collaboratively to create safer, stronger, and more inclusive neighbourhoods. It focuses on long-term change – not short-term fixes. It is about improving places, building trust, and creating real opportunities.

The Community Activity Day brought together organisations such as Southampton City Council, Hampshire Constabulary and community partners who have all committed to delivering on the aims of the programme. Representatives from each organisation formally pledged their commitment to the programme at a public event earlier in the month.

Attendees had the opportunity to learn more about Building a Brighter Future and leave their feedback on their hopes and concerns for the area. Almost 150 local people signed their name on a pledge to Build a Brighter Future for St Mary’s. There were also pictures on display of the improvements that have already been made to the area.

Councillor Toqeer Kataria, Cabinet Member for Leisure and Communities at Southampton City Council, said: “It was fantastic to see so many residents, families and partner organisations come together at St. Mary’s Fire Station to support the Building a Brighter Future initiative.

The brilliant turnout at today’s event, alongside the feedback from residents, showed there is real pride in St. Mary’s and a shared commitment to making the area an even better place to live, work and visit. It also highlighted how important it is to bring services closer to local communities, helping residents access the support they need and building stronger relationships between partners and local people.

Building a Brighter Future is a long-term commitment shaped by local need and informed by the voices of local people. This was the first of many events where partners will continue to listen to residents and work together to deliver lasting improvements for St. Mary’s.”

For more information about the Building a Brighter Future programme, please visit the Southampton City Council website. Type ‘Building a Brighter Future’ into the search engine.