Droylsden boy wins MP's Christmas card competition

A Greenside Primary School pupil from Droylsden has won the chance to have his artwork featured on an MP’s Christmas Card.

Eight-year-old Kieran Palmer’s colourful drawing of Robbie the Robin will be featured on the front of Ashton-Under-Lyne MP Angela Rayner’s 2020 Christmas card after he wowed the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party with his artistic talent.

Each year, the MP invites primary school children across Ashton, Droylsden and Failsworth to submit designs for the card, which is then sent out to fellow MP’s, dignitaries and friends and family.

Angela said: “Looking through the pictures I get sent for this is one of my favourite jobs each year! The standard of entries was incredibly high so it was a difficult task to pick just one winner. Kieran’s beautiful robin really stood out and I am so proud to be sending his design out on my Christmas card.

“I want to thank all the children who entered the competition and all the teachers who helped them. I hope it provided a bit of fun at the end of what has been a very hard year. I’m so proud of the way teachers have coped with everything that’s been thrown at them and gone above and beyond to make sure that schools are a safe and happy environment for our children – you are all heroes.”

Headteacher Judith Reynolds added: “We are absolutely delighted that Kieran a pupil in our Sunflower class has won this year. Kieran designed the winning Christmas card during a lesson with our school’s art teacher, Miss Chesney.

“The children were asked to select a Christmas object to sketch. Kieran selected a Robin which he named Robbie. Once the sketching process was complete he then added water colour paints, carefully focusing on the different sections of his card.

“Kieran is very proud of his winning card and his personal achievement. He said he likes the red belly of the Robin the best!”

Dimitra Schymanski from Higher Failsworth Primary School was named runner up whilst third place went to Ioni Mokliak from Canon Burrows C of E Primary School.