Picture: Keith Blundy
Bishop Mark with Winner Simone Houchin (L), Daniel Ames & Lacey Loan (R)
A Gateshead Community Primary School student was honoured at a visit from the Bishop of Jarrow, the Right Rev‘d Mark Bryant, when he announced the winner of his annual Christmas card design competition at their morning assembly.
Fell Dyke Community Primary School in Springwell Road, Gateshead was chosen by the Bishop to provide his 2016 Christmas card design in a competition that is annually focused on a primary school in the Diocese of Durham that shows outstanding contribution to its community. This years theme was inspired by Christmas in The North East and was won by Year 5 student Simone Houchin.
Picture Keith Blundy
Bishop Mark with Winner Simone Houchin and Head Teacher Ms Kate Savage
Simone’s design will be the Bishop’s official Christmas card for 2016 where more than 300 three hundred are sent out, across the North East, UK and internationally.
Bishop Mark said: “A different school is asked to run the competition each year, which shows our commitment to the schools in our diocese. The theme I gave to the school ‘Was Jesus born in Gateshead’? It’s one of those questions that really sparked the imagination of the students involved and we got some wonderfully creative ideas being submitted. This year the students of Fell Dyke did a fantastic job making the job of choosing the winner quite difficult.”
Simone said: “I was very happy to win, I was surprised to be called up during the assembly.”
Headteacher Ms Kate Savage said: “Getting the children involved in this competition is really important as part of their learning about different faiths, it’s great that the children’s work can be recognised and sent across the world.”