SouthseaScene

In under two weeks' time, Portsmouth will mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day with a programme of events in honour of our Normandy veterans. The national commemoration event on 5 June is being organised by the Ministry of Defence on behalf of HM Government in conjunction with the Royal British Legion. On that day Portsmouth will host an international event for D-Day veterans attended by the Queen and world leaders. The official commemoration ceremony will be televised by the BBC and shown on big screens on Southsea Common. It will include a Royal Navy frigate firing a naval gun salute followed by a spectacular flypast of up to 25 historic and modern RAF aircraft including the Red Arrows and the iconic Spitfire. Later in the afternoon the Red Arrows will return for a breath-taking display above Southsea Common. That evening the public are encouraged to wave off The Boudicca - The Royal British Legion's chartered ship - as it departs Portsmouth taking up to 300 veterans to N...

Ding-dong comes December! Google Dictionary says ‘ding-dong’ stands for a riotous party. I hope everyone is merrily looking forward to this festive season. This Saturday 9 December check out CURIO: Southsea Creative Pop Up in the Trinity Church Hall on Albert Road. On Sunday 10 December, the Milton Glee Club will be holding its Christmas Concert at the Guildhall at 3 pm. That evening, the University Concert and Big Band are holding their Christmas Concert at the Royal Marines Museum in Eastney at 7.30 pm. On Monday 11 December listen to Peoples' Stories Coffee Morning at the National Museum of the Royal Navy in the Historic Dockyard. On 14 December head to the Live Lounge event in the Guildhall, featuring the Blues legend Paul Jones. Don’t forget to give ice-skating a go with your family. The ring at Guildhall Square will be there until 2 January. Join the Christmas Elf Trail at the Spinnaker Tower from now until 24   December. Meet Santa at the Gro...

The board of The National Museum of the Royal Navy has agreed unanimously to keep the Yomper statue where it is on Eastney seafront. The resounding “yes” followed a year-long public consultation which gathered over 3000 responses from across the country. The Yomper, sculpted by Philip Jackson, has become a very popular feature of the Eastney seafront. It dominates the entrance to the Royal Marines Museum and was originally commissioned as a marker for the museum, the galleries of which are now closed to visitors. It was unveiled by Lady Margaret Thatcher on 8 July 1992 on the 10th anniversary of the Falklands conflict.  Following the award of a £13.85 million grant in May 2016 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to create the country’s newest national collection at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, it was announced that a new Royal Marines Museum would open in the historic dockyard. It was feared this would prompt the removal of the statue from its current location to the...