THE winners of Alton Lions Club’s first environmental poster competition for primary schools have been announced.

Launched at the beginning of November to increase awareness of the climate change issues being raised at the United Nations COP26 Conference in Glasgow, the contest was supported by Alton’s Butts Primary School, Wootey Junior School and Alton School, plus Bentley and Four Marks primary schools. With the theme "My Perfect Earth", Lions organising committee spokesperson Sarah O’Donoghue said the competition produced "some very interesting and thought provoking posters".

Young as the artists were, the posters served to emphasise global messages such as "There is No Planet B" and "The Future of the World is in our Hands", she said.

Their work was judged by Alton town mayor, Councillor Pam Jones, Alton artist Toni Goffe, and ACAN (Alton Climate Action & Network) member Emma Jones, and exhibited in Alton Library.

Prizes, comprising vouchers for artwork material, were awarded for first, second and third winners in Years 1 and 2, and also in Years 3 to 7. Four children were highly commended and a small gift of a bee box was given to those schools that submitted a large number of entries.

The results were as follows:

* Years R-2 Key Stage 1:

1. Chloe Ablewhite - Year 2 (Four Marks); 2. Betty Wills - Year 2 (Four Marks); 3. Gabriel Wellstead Year 2 (Bentley)

Highly Commended: Benedict Meaghan - Year 2 (Bentley)

* Years 3-7 Key stage 2:

1. Ella Ozer - Year 5 (Bentley): 2. Luca Corlett - Year 6 (Wootey Junior); 3. Jasper Hooper - Year 4 (Four Marks)

Highly Commended: Sophie Knapp (Wootey Junior); Michelle Quigley - Year 6 (Alton School); Iya Semino - Year 4 (The Butts)

Alton Lions Club has expressed grateful thanks to the judging team, to Alternative Packaging of Alton who provided some of the prizes, and Alton Library for displaying the winning posters and facilitating the prize giving.