Wrexham pupil wins Bishop’s Christmas Card Competition

A pupil at a Wrexham Church School has won first prize in the Bishop of St Asaph’s Christmas Card Competition.

The design by Matilda Jones, 11, from St Joseph’s Catholic and Anglican High School in Wrexham, has been selected for the Bishop’s Christmas card which is sent to colleagues, friends and family around the world.

Matilda’s artwork featured angels heralding the birth of Jesus in a stable, overlooked by Mary and Joseph. Her design hit the brief given to all 49 Church in Wales Schools in the Diocese of St Asaph: The Song of the Angels: Gloria in Excelsis Deo with a focus on music, joy, and hope. It is based on the story of the appearance of the angels to the shepherds told in the Gospel according to St Luke.

The winner was presented with a prize at a special year 7 assembly attended by the Bishop of St Asaph, his wife, Clare Cameron, the Head of Education, Children and Youth Work for the Diocese of St Asaph, Louise Williams, the Diocesan Secretary, Olwen Lintern-Smyth and clergy from across Wrexham this morning (10 December).

The Rt Revd Gregory Cameron said: “The judges are always struck by the creativeness and talent of the pupils in our church schools and the way in which they interpret the theme. Our church schools do such good work and cooperating with them for this competition is a real joy. Thank you to the staff who set aside time to support the children to understand the theme and design their entries. Congratulations to Matilda and thank you to everyone who took part in the competition.”

Approximately two thousand entries were received from schools across north-east and mid-Wales with the designs judged by Louise Williams and Clare Cameron.

The prize winners receive a book token and certificate. In addition, Matilda received an enlarged framed print of her design, along with ten of the Christmas cards for her personal use. Certificates were also given to the children from all the schools whose work gained either a Very Highly Commended or Highly Commended status.

The Diocese of St Asaph is part of the Church in Wales, an autonomous Province within the worldwide Anglican Communion of Churches. The diocese is a community of 210 churches and 49 church schools, covering the counties of Denbighshire, Flintshire, Wrexham and parts of Conwy, Gwynedd and Powys.

The full list of those awarded prizes is:

• 1st prize: Matilda Jones (11 year’s old) from St Joseph’s High School
• Joint 2nd prize:
  • Otis Jackson (8 year’s old) from St Mary’s School, Ruabon
  • Alicia Florek (7 year’s old) from St Giles’ School, Wrexham
• Joint 3rd prize:
  • Emily Kent (year 6) from Ysgol Llanbedr
  • Vadim Amtoniv (9 year’s old) from Pentre School, Hawarden