Hayling Island’s ‘strong community spirit’ shines in new photobook record of lockdown life by local photographer

A BOOK documenting Hayling Island during the first Covid-19 lockdown has been praised as a ‘fantastic’ record of a ‘unique’ time in the community’s history.
Emily Jessica Turner
By Emily Jessica Turner
Published 10th Mar 2022, 11:21 BST
Amateur photographer Pietro Rocchiccioli (74) from Hayling Island, has created a book documenting Hayling Island during the Covid-19 pandemic first lockdown. Pictured is: (left) Pietro Rocchiccioli showing his book to Alan Mak MP for Havant who bought a copy. Picture: Sarah Standing (040322-187)Amateur photographer Pietro Rocchiccioli (74) from Hayling Island, has created a book documenting Hayling Island during the Covid-19 pandemic first lockdown. Pictured is: (left) Pietro Rocchiccioli showing his book to Alan Mak MP for Havant who bought a copy. Picture: Sarah Standing (040322-187)
Amateur photographer Pietro Rocchiccioli (74) from Hayling Island, has created a book documenting Hayling Island during the Covid-19 pandemic first lockdown. Pictured is: (left) Pietro Rocchiccioli showing his book to Alan Mak MP for Havant who bought a copy. Picture: Sarah Standing (040322-187)

The pictures for Hayling photographer Pietro Rocchiccioli’s new photobook ‘Coronavirus 2020: The First Lockdown. My Experience’ were taken during 2020.

The book is a documentary-style record capturing daily life on Hayling Island during public health restrictions.

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Mr Rocchiccioli said that he saw the lockdown as a ‘great opportunity’ to undertake this kind of creative project on his doorstep and document his community’s response to the pandemic.

Amateur photographer Pietro Rocchiccioli (74) from Hayling Island, has created a book documenting Hayling Island during the Covid-19 pandemic first lockdown. Pictured is: Pietro Rocchiccioli signing a copy of his book for Alan Mak MP for Havant. Picture: Sarah Standing (040322-166)Amateur photographer Pietro Rocchiccioli (74) from Hayling Island, has created a book documenting Hayling Island during the Covid-19 pandemic first lockdown. Pictured is: Pietro Rocchiccioli signing a copy of his book for Alan Mak MP for Havant. Picture: Sarah Standing (040322-166)
Amateur photographer Pietro Rocchiccioli (74) from Hayling Island, has created a book documenting Hayling Island during the Covid-19 pandemic first lockdown. Pictured is: Pietro Rocchiccioli signing a copy of his book for Alan Mak MP for Havant. Picture: Sarah Standing (040322-166)

Havant MP Alan Mak visited the Hayling Island Bookshop to support the author and find out more about his work.

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Mr Mak said: ‘Pietro’s photobook is a fantastic piece of work that documents a unique period in our community’s history.

‘It is an impressive pictorial record of what we have all been through in the last two years and shows the very strong community spirit evident across Hayling Island during the pandemic.’

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Mr Rocchiccioli graduated from the University of Portsmouth with a BA Hons in photography, and is a member of the Royal Photographic Society.

He said that the local community had been very supportive of his work.

Mr Rocchiccioli added: ‘The photobook showcases all the positivity on Hayling Island during a challenging time, and I’m pleased our local MP Alan Mak is promoting it to a wider audience.

‘I have enjoyed this project immensely and I am pleased with the outcome. I am grateful to the people who allowed me to photograph them.’

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Copies of Pietro’s book can be purchased from Hayling Island Bookshop for £10.

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Related topics:Hayling IslandAlan MakHavantUniversity of Portsmouth