EASTER celebrations got off to a cracking start as school children produced a stunning display of decorated eggs.
Hundreds of pupils at West Park Academy, Darlington, took part in the annual school competition by creating an egg-straordinary array of designs.
Alongside more traditional themes including Easter bunnies and chicks pupils also created more topical entries including ‘The Eggs Factor’, complete with judging panel and film entries Despicable Me, Monsters Inc, Harry Potter and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Tees Esk and Wear Valley NHS Trust clinical lead occupational therapist Paul Meylan, who was asked to judge the event, alongside West Park Academy’s office manager Catherine Thirlway, said: “I have never seen such an incredibly creative display of decorated eggs.
“All of the children have worked really hard on their designs and it has been extremely difficult to choose just one winner from each class.”
The NHS trust, which includes West Park Hospital, Darlington, has been working with the academy to create artistic and musical links within the West Park site and to help raise awareness of mental health and health promotion issues among students, staff and parents.
“We use a lot of art-based media within our hospital,” explained Paul. “It’s lovely to see art being used here in such a creative way as creative expression is really good for mental health.”
The winners, who each received a chocolate Easter egg for their designs, were: Matthew Foster, Billy Reece, Audrey Meredith, Lucy Porritt, Hayden Forster, Melissa Allan, Mille Flanagan, Lottie Macmillan, William Dowson, Zara Knott, Kasey Farr, Adam Qureshi, Max Weatherstone, Holly Reece, Jenna Clarke and Matthew Hill.
The parents competition was won by Lisa Ash with her rainbow fish entry and a special commendation was given to Daniel Lockhart, six, for his Charles Darwin egg.
Student Holly Reece, ten, who won with her dragon’s lair egg, enjoyed a double celebration after her brother Billy, four, won with his Mr Bump creation.
“I was watching the film How to Train your Dragon and decided that’s what I wanted to do for my egg design,” said Holly.
“It took me four days and I’m really happy that I was one of the winners. Billy’s happy too that he won because he loves chocolate eggs.”
