GOOD luck messages have flooded in as Southampton submitted its bid to become UK City of Culture 2025.

Leading the charge was home-grown star Craig David, one of the bid’s ambassadors, who declared his heartfelt pride in the city. He also praised Southampton’s inclusivity and talent and said that winning the bid is vital for the future hopes of younger residents in the city.

Other notable figures cheering on Southampton included fashion designer Jenny Packham, Indian singer and performer Pooja Angra, Hampshire Constabulary’s Chief Inspector Ricky Dhanda, and Chair of the Southampton 2025 Trust and BBC’s MasterChef winner, Shelina Permalloo.

Businesses and organisations from across the city also took the time to send in messages of support, including Southampton Football Club and Saints Foundation, Life Lab from the University of Southampton with a video from their COVID Warriors, and the team behind leading full-fibre broadband provider and Premier Partner to Southampton 2025, toob.

The bid even got a heartwarming good luck message from a group of year 1 children from Ludlow school in Itchen, as well as the 2021 class of Solent University who took time out of their graduation day to show their support.

The flood of excitement for Southampton’s bid to become UK City of Culture 2025 was amplified by the lighting up of the city’s Bargate monument as Southampton 2025 submitted its final application to the Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS)

The eye-catching branding project was a true sight to behold, with many Sotonians flocking to the iconic monument to take a look.

Claire Whitaker, Bid Director for Southampton 2025 said: “Receiving these wonderful messages of support shows how much winning the bid means to so many.”

Follow the bid on their social channels @southampton2025 and sign up to the newsletter on southampton2025.co.uk