SCHOOLCHILDREN have been awarded for their environment-themed artistic efforts.

Pupils who attend Irthington Village School have been creating multimedia art pieces that answer the question as to what being nature's friend means to them.

The art competition was organised by Lynn Harrison, the head teacher, and was observed and judged by the Irthington in Bloom committee.

Irthington is a finalist for this year’s Britain in Bloom award, which is awarded by the RHS, and will be judged in August this year.

The theme for this year’s Britain in Bloom is nature’s friend, and the village’s school has been taking part in their own way, such as when the pupils took part in a bird box making activity which was overseen by the RSPB, all part of the Irthington in Bloom’s aim to win this year’s prestigious horticultural award.

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Pupils created art ranging from collages, paintings, photography, drawings, and a mix of all of these disciplines, with loose guidance issued in order to ensure creativity.

The schoolchildren attended a special assembly which welcomed the Irthington in Bloom committee as the winners from each year were announced.

Winners received a certificate and an artistic prize, such as colouring books and pens, which were donated kindly by Asda’s community champion Leanne.

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She said during the assembly on June 28 that she wants to take some of the pieces back to the supermarket to decorate the staff room which is relatively bereft of unique hand-crafted artwork.

Lynn Harrison said of the event: “We decided to run the art competition as part of Irthington in Bloom becoming a finalist in Britain in Bloom and we wanted to get the children thinking about why we need to consider being nature’s friend.

“We have already had class three surveying the village about what was in the gardens of the village in terms of what was needed, like bird feeders and so forth.

“But then it could be something very personal to children so we opened it up and encouraged them to think about the environment more generally.”

The winners in class one were Melody, Harper, Finn, Theo and Henry.

News and Star: L-R: Melody, Harper, Finn, Theo and HenryL-R: Melody, Harper, Finn, Theo and Henry

Class two’s were Camilla, Jessie, Louise and Joseph.

News and Star: L-R: Camilla, Jessie, Louise JosephL-R: Camilla, Jessie, Louise Joseph

Class three’s were Jane, Anya, and Millie.

News and Star: L-R: Jane, Anya, MillieL-R: Jane, Anya, Millie