It was an amazing morning and I am grateful to and amazingly proud of the whole Shaping Portsmouth team for pulling this together. There are way too many highlights, thanks and acknowledgements to include in one post but here are some particular highlights:

The equally fantastic Resonate Choir from Kings Theatre and students from The Portsmouth Grammar School for the musical entertainment. The Shaping Portsmouth team joining me on stage. Marian Glover’s touching tribute to Paul Newton. Acknowledging the amazing job our Cruise Passenger volunteers do. Anne Murphy’s great update on how University of Portsmouth can partner with businesses being so well illustrated by the incredible Abigail Norman. The Portsmouth 100 logo. The shock on Jodie Goodchild’s face as she won the business award.

Kirsty Hill and everything to do with the apprenticeship bus plus then delivering the most incredible finale to our Shaped by Solent programme – a great winner with Mary Rose’s big day out, an incredible amount of money raised, and Dominic Jones FRSA announcing it will be sold in The Mary Rose museum shop. Plus the New Place Hotel – managed by Legacy Hotels & Resorts video which was incredible. The podcast recording with Sir Ben Ainslie and Roy Bedlow, not just building excitement for SailGP in July but the important link between young people, STEM and sustainability and the great job by my CoPS co-host Amelia Jones. Simon Ingram telling everyone he’s not in it for the awards, not knowing he was just about to get the CEO award.

The superb Millstream Productions video followed by Clare Martin MBE’s Pompey in the Community presentation, which I think touched everyone in the room, and then CP Robinson (un)officially launching UK Pride in Portsmouth. The amazing team from The Parenting Network taking the community award and we also had more businesses, including HAHA TRAINING LTD signing the Armed Forces Covenant.

So much else going on in the room with all the exhibitors (huge thanks to all of you) but loved Sarah Roads launching SLR Local, Spark Community Space’s cups (we’ve got ours) and Eco Drift Commercial Cleaning use of the door sensors and providing recycling bins for the coffee cups. So many other people contributing help such as Tealwood Group providing Shaped by Solent shop signs, and Portsmouth Football Club bringing the trophies. Finally great to be able to show Stef Nienaltowski that we are looking after the legacy he passed on.

Huge thanks to Yvonne Clay, Mark Waldron, Jane Lamer, Hayden Taylor and Chris Hillman for supporting me on stage but most of all thank you to the whole Shaping Portsmouth community for coming together and showing the power of community over competition and why Portsmouth really is the Great Waterfront City!