We’re championing under-represented voices for City Reflections’ project
Some of our service users and volunteers are participating in a ships and shipping project for City Reflections to celebrate the city’s maritime history (August 2025).
We’re working with Southampton Forward and Southampton City Council to discover what the city’s maritime history means to our community using its archives, maritime vaults and art collection.
SeaCity museum
Our Coordinator, Stephen Muldowney-Mizen, explains: “We’ve been looking for artefacts that tell the story of Southampton’s boats and shipping history, and recently we took a group of service users and volunteers to visit the SeaCity museum to discuss what we had found out so far, the stories they have about the port, sea and the city’s ships.”
As part of City Reflections: Illuminating Southampton’s Stories in February 2026, Stephen is one of six Community Curators, each working with their own community to co-create animated light projections for a trail through Southampton’s Old Town and city centre.
Shining a light
Jasmine Matthews, Community Engagement Manager for Southampton Forward, says:
“City Reflections is all about shining a light on the stories that make Southampton unique, and our Community Curators have been at the heart of that journey. Stephen and the team at Communicare have worked so closely with their community to uncover memories and maritime treasures. We can’t wait for people to experience their projection as part of the Old Town and city centre trail next February.”
Six installations
Each curator has been paired with a heritage building and theme, uncovering stories and selecting objects from the city’s Art, Maritime and Archaeology Collections that connect both to the building and to what resonates most with their community. Stephen’s projection, inspired by ships and shipping, will be one of six installations on the trail.
City Council Leader
Councillor Alex Winning, Leader of Southampton City Council, says: “We are delighted to be working closely with the Community Curators and our partners, Southampton Forward, on this exciting and inclusive project. We welcome the perspectives that they bring to the interpretation of our museum collections, helping us to share stories and engage new audiences.”
City’s older generation
Stephen adds: “By getting our service users and volunteers involved in this project, we’re amplifying an often-under-represented voice: the city’s older generation and those often isolated, as they are unable to get out and about without assistance. As life becomes more challenging, their world shrinks. It’s Communicare’s mission to be able to reconnect them with opportunities like this.
“Trips out are essential, as they provide so many benefits to someone’s physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. They help combat isolation, reduce feelings of loneliness, and provide social interaction, which is vital for maintaining healthy social connections.
“The benefit of working with a demographic that is heavily weighted towards the older community is huge, as their knowledge, experience and understanding of the story of Southampton goes deeper than most.”
Each other’s stories
Annie, our Manager says: “This visit to SeaCity museum was an exciting opportunity to listen to each other’s stories and to take time to select the images and information that would be reflected across the city, re-energising them for younger generations. I was also able to share how I first set foot in the UK on Southampton soil at the age of two, having been born in Southern Rhodesia now Zimbabwe.
“Arriving on board the Pendennis Castle Liner, trusty teddy under one arm, my abiding memory is of meeting my grandfather for the first time and finding a conker in the park.
Importance of outings
“Outings also promote physical activity, stimulate the mind, and offer a change of scenery, improving one’s mood and cognitive function. We’re so grateful to City Reflections, Southampton Forward and SeaCity museum for involving us and our community with this project and for assisting us with our tip and our research.
“We’re here to help people live their best lives, rather than to just exist. There has been lots of research showing how loneliness impacts on both someone’s physical and mental wellbeing, so projects like this, which really help stimulate the mind and offer a chance to come together as a group and share stories are brilliant.”
Photo taken by Tim Kenyon Photography.