Nearly 500 children design an E-Card for Solutions SK
The Festive season represents different things for different people, at this time of year, children often think about presents.
When Stockport facility management company, Solutions SK, asked local school children to design a Festive E-Card, they didn’t expect the overwhelming entries.
The challenge
Solutions SK attended a number of Stockport schools in November to present assemblies and encourage children to think about what the festive season means to them. Acknowledging presents are a big part of Christmas for children, Jacqueline Cohen, Customer Engagement Manager at Solutions SK, talked with the children about thinking beyond presents and recognising ‘what makes this time special’.
By the time the competition ended on Friday 2nd December, it was clear that the children of Stockport had done a fantastic job and that the judging panel would be spoilt for choice on picking a winner.
The Mayor of Stockport, Solutions SK and the Stockport Express took on the challenge of judging the entries.
Nearly 500 school children entered the competition joined by Katherine Bainbridge, editor of the Stockport Express, and the Mayor of Stockport, their team took on the challenging task of picking a winner.
The prizes for the winner include:
- Their Festive E-card sent to all the schools in Stockport, Councillors and the Mayor
- A letter of recognition to the winner from the Mayor of Stockport
- The design to be published in the Stockport Express
- £50 voucher for reading books for their school
Customer Relations Engagement Manager, Jacqueline Cohen comments on the competition,
As part of our working relationship with schools, we’re always keen to engage with the children on issues which promote wellbeing and a sense of community. This competition has been such a success and the children’s energy, creativity and understanding around the ‘festive message’ has been impressive. They’ve understood the importance of going beyond commercialism and focusing on the traditional essence of this time of year – being with family, giving to charity, and enjoying simple activities such as playing in the snow. The quality of the designs submitted has been phenomenal and everyone who took part should be very proud. We’re looking forward to making the winning design into an ecard and have this published in the Stockport Express.
The winner is Rachel Bowden, age 10, from Oaktree Primary School. Rachel reduced the room to tears with her heart-warming words and crayon drawn pictures of her family around the Christmas tree. The pupil from Oaktree Primary wrote:
Christmas for me is all about sharing, happiness and good times with my family and friends and also to think about all those people who are not as lucky as me! Such as Refugees from war torn countries who have lost their homes, friends and even family. All they have are hopes and dreams for the future
Christine Slater, Headteacher of Oaktree, commented on this achievement,
We are absolutely thrilled that two children from our school have done so well in the Christmas Card competition. The winning entry from Rachel in Y6 focuses on the real meaning of Christmas something, we all feel is so important to share with children at this time of year
As the entries were so exceptional, the decision was made to have runner up prizes. The following runners-up will receive a certificate and a letter of congratulations from the Mayor.
- Adele Smith age 7, Oaktree Primary School
- Sofia Welton age 6, St Peter’s Catholic Primary School
- Jim Bury age 3, Westmorland Primary School
- Zahraa age 9, Bolshaw Primary School
Alongside the competition, Solutions SK have been donating food and Rucksack Packs to the Wellspring in Stockport.
This business are also holding a Festive jumper day on 16th December to raise funds for the Together Trust charity which will also be their ‘employee’s choice’ of charity of the year for 2017.
