Mums are behind bringing carnival to city streets

The event will take place on Saturday, August 12 and 16 different groups will be gathering at the John Pounds Centre to enjoy a day of community fun.

Carley Gardner, 31, from the Portsea Events group, said: ‘It’s about bringing the community together.’

Leading the parade of people will be Louis Faith, from Pompey In The Community, who was an Olympic torchbearer in 2012.

The procession will start at midday from the John Pounds Centre and will head down Queen Street with a rolling road closure.

From the John Pounds Centre, it will head towards the dockyard down College Street, through Kent Street and back to Aylward Street where it started.

Groups involved in the procession include Portsea Adventure Playground, Portsea Youth Club and the Noah Mapelo group.

Every group will be dressed in their own costumes themed on subjects such as The Lion King and under the sea.

Local cheerleaders, music and banners will be bringing some vibrancy to the carnival.

After the procession the event will continue at the John Pounds Centre until 6pm, where there will be live music from bands, face-painting, food and entertainment for the children.

Any money that is raised from the carnival will be used to fund the event next year.

Portsmouth City Council is unable to provide insurance for the event, but the group organising the carnival is hoping to have funding in place to pay the fee by the end of this week.

It has received donations from Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan, Margaret Foster, Steven Bailey and from Portsea Action Group and it has also raised money through blackout fundraising.

Chairwoman Carley said: ‘We are hoping to have the same date for the event every year now.’