More than 100 children from the East Cambridgeshire take part in a poster competition, held by Ely Refugee Resettlement Campaign.

Ely Refugee Resettlement Campaign KS3 winner Orla, year 7 (Image: Archant)

The theme of the competition was ‘Home / Refuge’, and the children were invited to reflect on what a safe home meant to them, and how it would feel to be a refugee with nowhere safe to live.

The winners were given their prizes at a ceremony at Ely Library. There were 13 winners, across Key Stages 1, 2, and 3.

Prizes and certificates were presented by Dr Dee McCormack, the chair of the judging panel. The other judges were the Mayor of Ely, Ian Lindsay, and local artist Ricki Outis.

Winners received a variety of items, which were kindly donated by businesses in Ely (Burrows Bookshop, City Cycle Centre, Ely Fudge Company, Razamatazz Magic Emporium, Tindalls, Toppings, WH Smith and Wilko).

Ely Refugee Resettlement Campaign winning posters (Image: Archant)

The winners were as follows:

Key Stage 1:

Winner: Amelia Gipp

Runner-up: Arlo Thurston

Commended: Klara Wagner

Commended: Felicity Evans

Commended: James Stead

Key Stage 2:

Winner: Lily Clanfield

Runner-up: Georgia Holgate

Commended: William Bevan

Commended: Eloise Holgate

Key Stage 3:

Winner: Orla Harrison

Runner-up: Ryan Pietras

Highly commended: Ellen Olley

Commended: Anna Braybrooke

Dr McCormack said: “There were so many wonderful posters, that choosing the winners was a real challenge. The children had clearly put in a great deal of thought and effort, and their messages were full of compassion. Everyone who took part should be very proud.”

Exhibition

As part of a series of events organised by the Ely Refugee Resettlement Campaign (ERRC) to mark Refugee Week, the posters are being exhibited. They have been shown at Ely Library, and at a Refugee Week meeting displayed at the Old Fire Engine House Gallery.

A gallery of all the entries can also be seen on ERRC’s website and Facebook page.

ERRC would like to thank everyone who was involved in the poster competition: the schools, childminders and parents, the shops that gave prizes, Ely Library and the Old Fire Engine House, and especially the kind and compassionate children who took part.

For more information about the event or to register your interest and support, please visit ERRC’s website (http://bit.ly/21ghmqb), or email elyrefugeescampaign@gmail.com.