Promising to become a pioneering holistic event for the city, an innovative new festival fusing fitness and wellbeing puts wellness firmly on the main stage. ‘Common Unity’ invites you to recharge, rejuvenate and be inspired.
Free Event
Common Unity is a free event that brings the local community together in celebration of creativity and wellbeing. On 20th July, 10am – 4pm, Southsea Castle Fields will be transformed into a wellness destination for those who live, work and visit Portsmouth. This family-friendly day supports and encourages low-waste and sustainable practices that are in alignment with the natural world. This year’s event hopes to offer experiences that nurture the body, mind, and soul.
Jam-packed with wellbeing stalls, art installations and world music, ‘Common Unity’ boasts a stellar line-up of fantastic activities for everyone. An adventure for the five senses expect meditation classes, educational workshops, a mother’s village and a compelling spoken word stage. This will be set alongside pole & aerial dance, angelic reiki, tarot readings and dance, sound healing and vision boarding. There’s even an opportunity to try an array of different types of yoga with sessions running all day, on the hour.
Wellness in Southsea
The event is organised by Grace and Simin who were keen to collaborate with Portsmouth City Council and the People’s Lounge to bring this major new wellness event to Southsea. Grace, co-founder of Live Well Southsea, an umbrella organisation that supports wellbeing and wholesome living in our local area, says, “Portsmouth has a rich variety of wellbeing services available and from my experience there’s no one size fits all approach when it comes to your personal wellness. ‘Common Unity’ presents an opportunity for wellness practitioners to come together and share our unique approaches.”
Sim, the founder of Sim.ply Be, specialises in ancient womb healing practices and is a qualified birth doula. She feels that it is important that events like this celebrate wellbeing in a fun and accessible way, highlighting Portsmouth’s rich creative diversity. “We wanted to create a space that is fun for all ages and allows concepts like spirituality, creativity and wellbeing to be more accessible to the general public. It’s been a real community effort from the crowdfunder donations, raffle prizes from local businesses, to creating the banners and bunting together. It is for the community and we really couldn’t do this without the support of local businesses and individuals that make Pompey an amazing, diverse and inclusive place to live.”
So Many Involved
‘Common Unity” will create a buzzing platform for sole traders, small businesses and private practices to showcase what they can do. There will be a chance to learn from top wellness gurus and fitness experts such as Surfing the Sea of Life, The Pole Coven, Sun Rise Ambiance, Wild Mother and Yoga by Emily.
Emily Dunstt will be leading an embodied Vinyasa Flow class at 12pm. Emily says, “I’m super honoured to be a part of the Common Unity Festival. Yoga itself is a way, more than just poses; it’s a union and connection, and that’s exactly what Common Unity is bringing to Southsea-uniting our community through shared interests, creating a wellness collective that nourishes the soul through movement, art and music.”
The Pole Coven is an inclusive pole and aerial dance and fitness studio in Copnor which provides a safe space for people of any fitness level to practice dance without judgement. Chlo, owner of the studio says, “Events like Common Unity are incredible for small businesses like us. We have been open for just over 6 months, so getting the word out in the community is essential for our growth as a business. We are really excited to share the well-being benefits of pole dancing with the wider community and also looking forward to making connections with other practitioners from the city.”
Common Unity takes place on 20th July 10am-4pm at Southsea Castle Fields.
By Caroline Brennan
