On Sunday 10th May 2026 at a Special Multi-Stake Conference held at the Guildhall Southampton Elder Kevin W. Pearson, Europe North Area President along with Elder Adrian Bettridge of the Seventy, organised the Southampton Stake.
The stake was organised by a merger of the Poole and Portsmouth Stakes, with Yeovil Ward moving from the Poole Stake to the Bristol Stake.
A new Stake Presidency were called, with Richard Watts of the Southampton Ward called as Stake President. Called as counsellors were Mark Learnihan of the Portsmouth Ward and Andrew Crockford of the Christchurch Ward.
Both Stake Patriarchs from the former Poole and Portsmouth Stakes, Brian Martin of the Poole Ward and David Stokes of the Portsmouth Ward will serve as Stake Patriarchs of the Southampton Stake and Ken Bryant who was serving as Portsmouth Stake Executive Secretary will serve as the Southampton Stake Executive Secretary. All other stake officers were released with new callings to be extended in the next 2 to 4 weeks.