Top prize for Oliver's efforts - 13/12/06
Students across the Vale of Glamorgan have again excelled in a
poster design competition in support of the annual Christmas road
safety anti-drink drive campaign.
The competition – organised locally by the Vale Council Road
Safety Team and on a national basis in conjunction with Road Safety
Wales and the Welsh Assembly Government – is aimed at discouraging
motorists from drinking and driving while celebrating the festive
season.
The colourful winning entry in the junior schools' section from
Chloe Thomas, aged nine, of Barry Island Primary School, carried
the message, "Accidents Happen . . . . When You Drink and Drive"
and, as part of the all-Wales competition, was judged a South Wales
area runner-up. Chloe received a £50 cash prize and framed
certificate from Tamsin Dunwoody, AM, the Welsh Assembly's Deputy
Minister for Economic Development and Transport.
Vale runner-up was Laura Gilbert, aged 10, of Sully Primary
School.
In the senior schools' section, the winning poster was designed
by Elizabeth McGivern, aged 12, of St Richard Gwyn RC High School,
Barry, with Luke Aspinall, aged 12, of Cowbridge Comprehensive, as
runner-up.
There were several highly commended entries in both
categories.
Vale Senior Road Safety Officer Mike Dacey singled out one entry
for particular praise – a spinning bottle/roulette wheel design –
by Oliver Hitchings, aged 12, of Cowbridge Comprehensive, with the
message: "Don’t Take a Chance – Don’t Drink and Drive." This was
judged as the South Wales area winner in the senior section and
earned Oliver a £75 prize and a framed poster.
The standard of entries was, as always, very high in the Vale,
with the judging panel, headed by Mr Dacey, agonising for hours
over picking winners from the many schools who submitted
entries.
Mr Dacey said: "The annual competition brings out the best in
children’s creativity and ingenuity in designing a poster that
conveys such an important road safety message."