Oxfordshire schoolchildren scoop top prize in fire safety competition
The competition, run by Oxfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards team, invited pupils from schools across the county to design a poster promoting firework safety.
They were asked to submit entries from a range of themes relating to firework safety from misuse, the law, anti-social behaviour, animals and having fun with fireworks.
Winning design
Over 500 children entered the competition and the winning designs were judged by Fire Risk Manager David Heycock, David Sandy from Trading Standards and Maureen Stone from Oxfordshire Trefoil Guild.
The winners were brother and sister Isabel and Jack Mawle from St John’s RC in Banbury. Isabel, aged 8, took first prize in the 8-11 category for her design titled ‘Mr Firework’ and six-year-old Jack’s ‘Be Safe Have Fun’ poster scooped first place in the 4-7 category.
Isabel said: “I’m really happy that I won. I wanted to make something different and decided on a character called Mr Firework.”
High standard
The leader of Oxfordshire County Council Ian Hudspeth attended the event and was impressed with the standard of this year’s posters.
He said: “This is a wonderful opportunity for children to combine the importance of firework safety with creating a piece of artwork that they can be proud of and will be used to promote firework safety across the county.
“The standard of this year’s competition was high and it was a really difficult decision for the judges.
Getting the safety message across
Deputy chairman of the County Council Councillor Timothy Hallchurch, who awarded the prizes, said: “We want to get the message across to children that safety is an important factor of enjoying fireworks night and what better way to do that then invite local schoolchildren to create how that message is put across.
“Three out of four accidents connected to fireworks involve children and young people. We want young people to enjoy fireworks but they need to know that they can be dangerous if they are not used properly.”