Shock, surprise and joy! Local 10-year-olds Hanna Jelonkiewicz and Jayden Rodriguez Kent were delighted when they were declared winners of a London-wide art competition focused on climate change.
Hanna, from Good Shepherd primary in Gayford Road, Shepherds Bush, and Jayden, from St Thomas of Canterbury in Rylston Road, Fulham, came second and third respectively in the Young London Print Prize, beating nearly 2,000 other entries from across the capital.
They had the fun of seeing their winning prints displayed on the giant screen in Piccadilly Circus. They will also be exhibited alongside top artists in the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair.
Hammersmith & Fulham was well-represented in the competition, with six primary schools taking part as well as students from William Morris secondary. Cllr Alex Sanderson, Cabinet Member for Children and Education, represented the council at the ceremony.
She said: "Thanks to our pioneering Industrial Strategy, the White City Innovation District is now a hotbed for green tech innovation. We're working closely with schools across the borough to involve young people in climate action early on, and ensure that they can benefit from the very best career chances on their doorstep. Congratulations to Hanna, Jayden and all of the young people and teachers who took part."
Year 6 pupils from all over the capital were invited to produce prints with climate themes. The overall winner, Afsana Miah, did a monoprint of a jellyfish drifting in the ocean, entitled Alone, Darkness.
Hanna's second-placed entry was called The Crashing World, while Jayden's third-place prizewinner was a monoprint called Beetle Bug.
Watch a highlight video of the competition - this video has text on-screen and no voiceover.
Matt Bell, co-founder of the Young London Print Prize, said: "Creative education in schools has often been underfunded and undervalued, but if you want to inspire young people to make different choices and take climate action, art and creativity are fundamental."
Research by the Woodland Trust shows that 70 per cent of young adults in Britain worry about climate change, but only 9 per cent believe they have any influence on decision-making.
