Hundreds of people turned out in Southampton for Hope Street

Dubbed Hope Street, the event brought voluntary organisations, clubs, families and friends together for an afternoon celebrating the rich culture in Southampton to protest against Immigration Street.

Organised by the charity Hope Not Hate, it was one of a string of events rallying against the proposed Channel 4 production, which is being filmed in Derby Road in the St Mary’s area of the city and is set for broadcast later this year.

The charity’s south east campaigning organiser, Nick Spooner, said: “We are trying to create a positive vision of our city because the idea of Immigration Street seems to suggest there is a lot of negativity here, and Hope Street is a way to show what we actually have here and how many hard-working volunteers and residents there are.

“Southampton has a real opportunity to be a driving force in proving that different cultures and communities can come together because we have so much diversity in the city and it should be celebrated and supported.”

Among the organisations with stalls set up were South Central Ambulance, Unite Community, stepacross CIC, Dangerous Ideas and Carers Together as well as various musical acts.

Patricia O’Dell from Newtown Residents’ Association has been at the centre of the petition against Immigration Street being filmed.

She said: “These kind of events are wonderful, we should do them all the time because it brings people together from all ages, ethnicities and walks of life. It’s about showing others that we are a united city.”

Dishi Kaur, left, and Eileen Wareham