'I was there for the Portsmouth100 picture and couldn't think of a better way to celebrate Armed Forces Day'

Many people would have looked at the Portsmouth100 picture as something rather trivial.

Gathering several residents in a field for a photograph doesn’t sound like the most interesting thing in the world, but it did achieve something special. When we stop and think about it, Portsmouth’s centenary is not something we should take for granted.

After being heavily targeted during the Blitz, the city was forced to rebuild and reshape itself. The Royal Navy continues to be in the blood of the people and something we all cherish, regardless on if we have served or not.

I grew up in the north of England, with my dad’s side of the family being from here. Even hundreds of miles away, I knew how important community and togetherness was to the city. I could feel that whenever I visited on trips, stood in the stands at Fratton Park, and when I finally moved here.

More importantly, Portsmouth honours the armed forces like no other - celebrating those who decided to part of the ultimate public service and protect our way of life. I felt all of those emotions stepping onto Southsea Common for the photograph.

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All the cynical thoughts of it being a gimmick melted away after seeing what it did to the people. Everyone of all ages and backgrounds were chatting to each other, and excited to be a part of a common moment. Veterans and service personnel were thanked for their service. People shared stories about what makes Portsmouth special.

Residents who wouldn’t have met otherwise were brought to one place, and on an occasion like Armed Forces Day, I couldn’t think of a better time. Unperturbed by the cloudy weather, everyone waved and cheered at the sky on the countdown. I joined in and hoped I could see myself in the image.

Even though the weather didn’t play ball for the Airbus satellite, the drone pictures were more than enough to capture the moment. But more importantly, the historic picture did what it was designed to do - bring hundreds of people together to celebrate the city and the armed forces. That is what I’ll remember for a long time.