Axminster Lions club praises high quality of entries in this year’s worldwide peace poster contest

GIVE peace a chance!

That’s the message youngsters across East Devon have been sending world leaders.

Children at six East Devon primary school have been taking part in the annual peace poster campaign organised by Axminster and District Lions Club.

This year all pupils who took part received a certificate of achievement and their posters were judged for their artistic merit and for their expression of the theme “Children Know Peace”.

The winners from each school will face strong competition as the move forward to the district, national and international rounds.

The grand winner will receive a large cash award and a trip to New York with two family members.

The East Devon posters were among more than 375,000 submitted worldwide in the 24th Annual Lions International Peace Poster Contest.

Lions Clubs International is sponsoring the contest to emphasise the importance of peace to young people everywhere in the world.

Axminster Lions secretary Anne Hardman said: “In the light of recent riots in London and elsewhere, this topic could not be more important.

“The extension work developed by the schools around the art has been gratifying. All the children were able to express what peace meant to them now and for the future.”

Now Mrs Ethelston’s School at Uplyme is planning a second book of peace poems following last year’s much acclaimed work which was received by the Lions International President

And Chardstock pupils have suggested creating a peace garden and retiring headteacher Morag Kingsbury is giving them a leaving present of four raised beds to start them off.

Shute, Axminster and Kilmington posters are displayed in Axminster Library, Mrs Ethelston’s and St Andrew’s will be on display in their schools.

WINNERS WERE:

Axminster Community Primary School: 1 Lottie Rouse, 2 Charlie Prill, 3 Annabel Blockwell.

Kilmington Primary School: 1 Jemima Gambier, 2 James Cable, 3 Katie Bastable.

Shute Primary School: 1 Hannah-May Westdorp, 2 Emilia Anning, 3 Charlie Wheeler.

Mrs Ethelston’s Church of England School, Uplyme: 1 Sian Harper, 2 Cody Bowditch, 3 Edward Moore.

St Andrews Church of England School, Chardstock: 1 Bradley Hempstead, 2 Nadine Legg , 3 Rowan Ellis.

Musbury Primary School: 1 Rory Kinlan, 2 Kyron Kinlan, 3 Annabelle Stidwell.