Congratulations to all the pupils who entered my Christmas Card competition this year. Each year, I look forward to seeing their creative designs. The four category winners of best design by a boy or girl in Year 5 or 6 were Lewis Balouza, Harry Meaden, Tansy Kench, and Chloe Roper. I am happy to announce the overall winner of my annual competition as Charlotte Scrase, a Year 5 pupil at Ipplepen Primary School. I was delighted to present Charlotte with a prize from GWR of four train tickets to London.
Thank you to the judges who had a difficult job deciding the winner. Liz Lockyear and two other talented artists from Teignmouth Arts Action Group (T.A.A.G.) judged the competition, together choosing the four category winners and the overall winner. TAAG was formed to improve communication between artists and art organisations and to further the Arts in the area through collaboration and mutual support.
As a part of the competition, I donate to a local charity for every Christmas card that is sent out. Our chosen charity this year is The Meadow Centre in Teignmouth, a community run centre that not only caters for the 3,800 children and young people in Teignmouth, but runs a variety of family projects, Parent and Toddler Groups and holds regular get-togethers for the over 50s. The Meadow Centre provides a safe and secure place for people to meet and socialise, and encourages emotional and social development for young people through the projects led by the Centre Manager and Youth Worker. The centre’s work covers all aspects of community, encouraging self-confidence, improving peer relationships, increasing physical activity and most importantly, having fun!
In recognition of the important work the Meadow Centre undertake in providing a safe, family environment, the theme for this year’s Christmas Cards was ‘Family’, and the card designs reflected the different and diverse families that make up our community.