LATEST NEWS

– July 2026

PMC’s lion, named Map of Hundred Portsmouth Stories – Libraries and Literary Locales and affectionately nicknamed “Mappy”, has been installed at Cosham Library. Created by artist November Tan, the sculpture carries an illustrated map of Portsmouth celebrating the city’s literary heritage. It features 100 places contributed by the local community that inspired and supported writers, reading and literary works, alongside references to celebrated local authors such as Dickens, Doyle and Austen, and landmarks including the Central Library, home to the largest naval book collection in the UK.

“PMC are proud to be sponsoring a lion, bringing our community together in this exciting trail that’s inclusive to all age groups,” said Steve Cripps, Managing Director at PMC. “Mappy is a brilliant celebration of Portsmouth’s stories and literary history, and we’re delighted our sponsorship helps bring that to life for residents and visitors alike.”

PMC encourages the local community to follow the trail and visit Mappy at Cosham Library over the coming months.

Mappy is one of 45 lion sculptures (plus one unicorn) making up the Pride of Portsmouth trail, developed by Portsmouth City Council in partnership with Wild in Art. The lion is a longstanding symbol of the city, appearing on Portsmouth’s crest and echoing the lion statues that guard Portsmouth Guildhall representing strength, resilience and pride. The trail is free to explore and runs from 13 July to 13 September 2026, with a companion app allowing visitors of all ages to find and ‘unlock’ each lion as they go.