A RAINBOW trail has been launched across Southampton's parks in a bid to "share a message of hope" as we move through the coronavirus crisis.

During July and August, parks across the city, including The Common, Freemantle Lake, Riverside Park, Southampton Sport Centre will form part of a "Rainbow Trail" which residents can follow and enjoy thanks to a community art project.

Organised by local artist Jack Irwin and Stuart Shaw from Robert Rose Carpentry, the trail will include rainbows scattered across the city with a story or poem attached, as well as a QR code which can be scanned to "capture the rainbow" and reveal the story.

Supporting the Council’s Green City Plans, the rainbows have been carved from up-cycled scaffold board and printed with designs by local children and residents of Southampton, with the aim of uplifting spirits, sharing stories from the community and celebrating hope after lockdown.

Stuart said: “The Rainbow Trail means a huge amount to me and I feel incredibly proud to be a part of something so special. Seeing the amount of enjoyment it is bringing to the residents of Southampton has made all of the hard work worthwhile and I would like to say a huge thank you to all of the volunteers, sponsors and organisations involved that have helped to make it happen.”

While Jack added: "We received rainbow designs from all ages with many families and schools taking part. The stories and poems are like a window into the homes of Southampton residents during the most stringent phases of lockdown. It’s incredibly humbling to have received so many touching accounts and great to know that so much creativity has been happening here in the city."

The event is free to get involved in, but the Rainbow Trail hopes to raise money for Communicare, a charity thaat enriches the lives of lonely and isolated people in and around the city.

Councillor Steve Leggett, Cabinet Member for Green City and Place comments: “The Rainbow Trail is a wonderful initiative and a welcome addition to our parks. Rainbows have become an iconic symbol throughout the Coronavirus pandemic, with many proudly displayed in windows in the city, and we can all enjoy seeing the fantastic designs in our parks during the summer months of July and August.

"We’re fortunate to have a wealth of parks and green open spaces here in Southampton, but please remember to keep following the social distancing guidelines, whilst in the parks or looking at the Rainbow Trail.”

For more information, or to view the trail map, visit www.jackbsirwin.com/therainbowtrail.