RESULTS of two young creative competitions have been announced.

Every year, North Cotswold Rotary works with local schools to encourage and develop the talents of young students. Two competitions were held at The Cotswold School, Young Writer and Young Photographer.

Those entering the Young Writer competition had to write a piece of prose or a poem of approximately 500 words on the theme of ‘My Inspiration’, which allowed for a wide range of creative interpretations on subjects such as surviving tough training to become a Royal Marine; the power of inspiration to push people to achieve their goals; a young boy growing up in poverty inspired by a pen pal to become a footballing superstar; and the inspiration to overcome addiction to computers and take up painting.

The judges were Mike Boyes and Liz Alexander. In the Senior age group the winner was Alex Hester, aged 15, and the runner up was Grace Jacouides, also 15. Ollie Brosch, 12, won the Intermediate age group, with Alexa Butterfield second and Lottie Lifely third. The winners of each age group will go forward to a District Final, where they will be judged against the best entries from other competing schools in an area that stretches from Herefordshire and parts of Worcestershire, to North Somerset, parts of Wiltshire and all of Gloucestershire.

Those entering the Young Photographer competition had to submit a portfolio of three pictures on ‘The Beauty of Nature’, together with a brief written explanation about each picture and how it matched the competition theme. Judging the competition were Rotarians Ed Alexander, Mike Boyes, Bob Hadley and Nicki Scott, and photos were assessed for technical merit, content and composition, and imagination and style.

The Senior age group winner was Jamie Lord, 16, whose image of pebbles on Chesil Beach was a favourite with the judges, ‘showing the complexity of all the colours in a single stone’. Tom Williamson came second and Thea Pett third. Oliver Wilkins, 12, won the Intermediate age group, and his picture of early morning rays of sunlight shining through trees and mist was another of the judges’ favourites. Toby Harris came second, with Edward Craske third. The Junior category was won by Joss Jeary, 10, with some images of fallen leaves and woodland trees.

Ed Alexander, president of North Cotswolds Rotary, congratulated all the finalists and thanked the teachers involved, Mrs Lindis Dobson with the Young Writers and Stephen Hillier with the Young Photographers, for their support and for encouraging students to take part in these competitions.