Colouring competition winners
More than 350 children took part in a colouring competition to transform Caterham Valley into a temporary art gallery during the Easter holidays.
Nearly 30 runners up were displayed in shops and business windows throughout the town, and the two overall winners took pride of place at Caterham Galleries.
Children as young as three and up to the age of 11 took part in the competition organised by Caterham Valley for You as part of its Colour Caterham initiative.
“We were astounded by the ideas and quality of the artwork which made the job of judging very hard work,” said Caterham Galleries owner, Jodie Green, who helped judge the competition alongside her colleagues, June Allen and Sam Pattinson.
In the frame
After much deliberation, a stunning picture of a special flag for Caterham, drawn by 11-year-old Finley Drayton from Audley Primary School, and images of the town in different seasons, created by Harry Lyles-Clarke, aged six, from Essendene Lodge School, were chosen as the overall winners in their respective age groups.
Both had their artwork professionally framed and were presented with them this week.
As well as the children’s competition, the Colour Caterham initiative saw the town transformed overnight with guerilla knitting hung from lampposts, trees and railings (see photos on the Caterham Valley For You Facebook page). And many local schools crafted giant artwork which was also displayed in shops and business windows.
“For two very special weeks, people stopped talking about potholes or the terrible weather and instead talked about the wonderful knitting and artwork,” said Andrew Browne, chairman of Caterham Valley for You. “Colour Caterham has brought together the local community and the town’s businesses and it has been a pleasure to see so many people get involved, especially children.”
Caterham Valley For You is the name for the Caterham Business Improvement District which brings together the town’s businesses, from independent boutiques and specialist retailers to household names and national corporations, to help make Caterham a better place to shop, work and visit.
