Hampshire Day

Today marks Hampshire Day, a date chosen due to it’s connection to Saint Swithun, the Patron Saint of Winchester Cathedral. This year there is much we can take from St Swithun’s legacy of restoration, particularly in regards to our local businesses.

Our local shops, independent retailers and town centres have been hit hard by this pandemic, many have already been lost. As we gain freedom from the shackles of the coronavirus it is vital that we support our local traders, and the neighbours who rely on them, to restore our community to the vibrant, bustling wonder it has always been.

We can all take great pride in how Hampshire has risen to the challenge of Covid-19 and the way the community has come together to look after family, friends, neighbours and strangers. In North West Hampshire alone, community run support groups popped up left, right and centre to provide aid to those in the greatest need and I cannot thank these groups enough.

But we must keep this up. We must continue to get out there to back our businesses and the livelihoods that depend on them; we have all come through this hardship and we must restore our community to make it shine even brighter than before.