local community

Our Partnership

In 2025, Portsmouth won the bid to host the country’s official UK Pride celebrations – a result that was testament to the year-round programme of community-run events the city works hard to deliver. Over 260 other cities were in the running, making this a significant accolade for Portsmouth and the surrounding areas.

Shortly after the news came in, we were contracted as the event’s official Print Partner, supporting organisers in transforming the city into a rainbow of colour.

The Pride rainbow flag is one of the most internationally recognised symbols, representing allyship and solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community – something we at Hampshire Flag Company don’t just believe, but deeply embed throughout our company culture. Inclusion is central to how we hire, collaborate, and connect with our local community.

The responsibility bestowed upon us for such an important event was not lost on us. We give our all to every project, but when it matters this much, it’s impossible to deny that it just feels different. And as a general company policy, when we work with a charitable or non-profit organisation, we do for so no charge – or a very minimal fee.

Pride March

Rod Sessions, our Commercial Director, described it best:

“HFC’s support of the LGBTQ+ community runs for 365 days a year. We proudly stand with all and believe everyone should have an equal voice“

Uk Pride, Portsmouth, 2025. Pride march

The UK Pride Movement

The movement behind UK Pride, and every Pride event celebrated throughout the year, shouldn’t be confined to that one moment in time.

For Portsmouth’s event, we provided a range of custom-design print items to be displayed and used by attendees throughout Southsea Common on Saturday 7th June, including giant deckchairs, bunting, stage banners, fencing, handwaving flags and marching flags. We also supported several other activations across the city, including a significant installation throughout Gunwharf Quays.

Around the same time, we were delighted to also be approached for Southampton’s Pride event, in August 2025. Confirmed as Print Partner for this too, we delivered a similar scale of bespoke print products.

Sky view Trans Flag, Portsmouth Pride March

Uk Pride, Portsmouth, 2025. imagery from the Pride March

We were delighted to hear CP Robinson, Co-Chair & Campaigns Manager at Portsmouth Pride Trust, share these kind words about working with us:

“Selecting our Print Partner is no mean feat, but knowing HFC were already working with our friends at Southampton Pride gave us great faith in their team. They are pivotal to the atmosphere running through our event, and HFC made us feel at ease throughout with so much support far beyond ‘just doing the printing’. They embedded themselves in our mission, collaborated with us, uplifted our work and delivered the highest quality products that truly painted the event in colour“

Both Portsmouth and Southampton Pride continue to work tirelessly to ensure these cities remain among the most inclusive and diverse for members of the LGBTQ+ community all year round.

We will always be happy and proud to support them, however and whenever we can.

Cup of Coffee - with 'Mary Rose' in cocoa powder

Menetoring the Next Generation

Shaped by Solent is a fantastic local initiative that gives students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) from Solent Academies Trust, City of Portsmouth College, and Havant & South Downs College the opportunity to take part in valuable business mentorship programmes.

A range of local businesses partner with Shaping Portsmouth to deliver a series of classes, sharing their expertise and providing unique insights into potential career opportunities – many of which the students may never have previously considered.

At Hampshire Flag Company, we contributed to the scheme in 2025, mentoring a group of students from City of Portsmouth College over a three-month period.

All in all, we delivered seven sessions (each lasting 2.5 hours), which included in-lesson mentoring, offsite mentoring, product creation, and presentation skills training.

Rod Sessions, our Commercial Director, led the team – which included Rosie James, our Creative Artworker, and Mark Allibone, our Strategic Operations Manager. The team tasked students with creating a product for under £10, inspired by the upcoming Portsmouth100 year-long celebrations. Everything had to be built from scratch – from concept to construction – and, for the final task, their products were judged (and sold!) at the Shaping Portsmouth Conference.

eMary Rose – Solent mntoring program

We supported the students through every step as they undertook:

Brainstorming
Mood board creation
Theme and potential product research
Product feasibility research
Product selection and decision making
Manufacturing methods research
Economic analysis of costs, sales prices, and profit margins
Competitor product analysis
Marketing
Presentation of the final product and bringing it to market

We wanted to ensure that every student experienced every part of our business – not just the more physically demanding aspects they might have initially associated us with.

At the start of the process, the students were quiet and found it difficult to communicate clearly with one another. But by the end, they were confidently presenting to a group of strangers, explaining why they had chosen their product, how it met the brief, and even outlining the expected profit margins.

It was inspiring to watch their confidence flourish before our eyes. They made huge progress over the three months, and we hope they feel they’ve gained some new skills for the future.

eMary Rose – Solent mntoring program

Rosie James, our Creative Artworker, speaks highly of the experience:

“Working creatively with students from the City of Portsmouth College’s SEND department demonstrates to me how opportunities like Shaped by Solent can have such a positive impact on students’ confidence. I am very proud to have been part of the team mentoring the students, and to watch them grow in confidence over our time together.”

We were also delighted to hear from the CEO of City of Portsmouth College after the programme, who told us how wonderful it is for their college to be more closely involved in the city in this way.

Shapped by Solent Programme

You can learn more about the Shaped by Solent Programme in the link below

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Tag: local community

Partnering with Portsmouth Pride and Southampton Pride