Portsmouth's Spinnaker Tower goes purple to remind people to fill in census

The Office for National Statistics has arranged for the Portsmouth landmark to be lit from Friday to Sunday, to mark the return of the national census.

Pete Benton, ONS director of census operations, said: ‘The census is such an important undertaking that helps inform the vital services we all rely on every single day within our communities.

‘We wanted to shine a light on the buildings and landmarks that matter most to their local areas, highlighting the importance of the census in helping shape the communities we live in.

‘We would like to thank Spinnaker Tower for their participation.’

The census takes place every 10 years and requires householders to provide a snapshot of their life on March 21.

Cllr Steve Pitt, deputy leader at Portsmouth City Council, said: ‘The census helps us to understand what our city needs now and what it will be likely to need as we rebuild our local economy and services after the pandemic.

‘We use information from it when making decisions about planning and funding services for Portsmouth such as schools, doctors’ surgeries, transport or support groups.

‘It can help to ensure, for example, that veterans needs are met and that local plans represent the true diversity of our local community. I urge everyone to complete it this weekend.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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