Good things always come in three at Christmas-time…
Wise men, shepherds, ships sailing by…you name it.
But now we can add another name to this list of festive threes – winners.
Last month, Mayor of Wigan Cllr Rona Winkworth set all schoolchildren in the borough the challenge of designing their very own civic Christmas card for her.
The Mayoral card is sent out all over the borough, region and beyond as a message of goodwill on behalf of the first citizen and the people of Wigan.
Children were asked to submit their designs in one of three categories: primary, secondary and special schools. They could use any medium, from crayons to collage, as long as the design included a rainbow.
The cards also had to represent the Mayor’s chosen charity for this year: the Children’s Ward at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary, also known as the Rainbow Ward.
Once the challenge had gone out and the children had taken up their pens, pencils and paints, the Mayor and the Mayor’s Charity Appeal Committee had the arduous task of picking the winners from more than 100 entries.
Cllr Winkworth says:
“We asked the children for their support and they certainly didn’t disappoint. The card competition really captured their imaginations and we had so many wonderful entries that it really was like Christmas has come early.
“It was a really difficult task to narrow them down to just three but we managed to do it and the winning designs really are special.”
In the primary school category five year-old Annabel Parkes of St Mary and St John’s Wigan, picked up top honours.
Hesketh Fletcher Year 9 pupil Rebekka Jolley won through in the secondary school category.
In the special school category the combined efforts of the senior 4 class at Hope School, Marus Bridge, led the way.
The winners will see their striking designs made up into cards. More than 100 of each design will be made up in time for Christmas.
They will also receive book tokens courtesy of Asda Distribution Centre, Marus Bridge.
On top of all that the winners will get a true ‘Willy Wonka’ experience with a tour of Wigan’s very own version of sweet heaven – the Uncle Joe’s Mintball factory and emporium. Accompanied by their parents, the winning artists will get the full tour and Cllr Winkworth will also be on hand to congratulate them all.
“We are really thrilled with how successful the competition has been,” says Cllr Winkworth. “As an extra incentive we have agreed to print more of the individual card designs so the children can sell them in school to raise money for the charity appeal, so this Christmas promises to be an extra special one!”
