Shoppers returning to the high street will see that the Debenhams site in Commercial Road and Edinburgh Woollen Mill in Southsea Shopping Centre have been given a facelift, with portraits of local keyworkers given centre stage in the windows.
Photographer Olufemi David Olaiya has created the portraits as part of the Pompey Heroes project, celebrating local keyworkers who have worked through the pandemic. Olufemi crowdfunded the money to get the project underway, and the recent installations are supported by Portsmouth City Council.
The Pompey Heroes Project is an amazing photography series centred on honouring keyworkers who volunteered and worked tirelessly, at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic to improve the lives of the people of Portsmouth.
These pictures put a face to the efforts of those heroes and shows the ethnic, cultural and religious diversity of our city.
The photos will be appearing in empty shops across Portsmouth over the next few months. If you have an idea for a location for these photos please get in touch