Joe Cochrane wins MP's Christmas Card Competition

2.28.25pm GMT Fri 1st Dec 2006

Budding artist Joe Cochrane, aged 9, has won Annette Brooke MP's Christmas card competition. His Christmas card design was chosen as the best out of 845 entries from young people all over the area. Annette visited Manorside Combined School in order to give Joe his prize and show him the finished card. His prize is a trip to London to have lunch with Annette Brooke and will provide an opportunity to see the House of Commons. More immediately, he was delighted to receive an extremely large chocolate gold coin!

Joe's card depicts Father Christmas in an RNLI lifeboat, on his way from Lapland to Poole Quay. The card has a great sense of fun and there can be little doubt that Joe is a very talented young artist. The Chief Executive of the RNLI, Andrew Freemantle, professed himself very pleased with the card and offered his sincere congratulations to Joe.

There were also winners of the judges' special prize, awarded for imagination and detail. Ben Kelly, aged 10, from Longspee School delighted with his psychedelic Poole dolphins. Sophie Sproul, aged 7, from Canford Heath First School, drew a wonderful image of the Palace of Westminster daubed in Christmas regalia. Beth Gladden, aged 10 from Upton Junior School, scooped plaudits for her elegant Christmas Cracker design. Aimee Auger, aged 11 from Hillbourne School, also impressed with her seasonal Big Ben theme, complete with flying Father Christmas!

Annette Brooke said, "I would like to thank everyone who entered the competition. The standard was amazingly high and I'm really proud that we have so many artistically gifted young people in the area. In the end though, we feel that Joe Cochrane had to win it - his design brings a smile to everyone who sees it".