Ross-shire school pupil wins national art competition

Issued by Stripe Communications on behalf of the Scottish Goverment.

A Ross-shire school pupil has won a national art competition to create a new calendar as part of the Scottish Government‘s Ready for Winter? campaign. 
 
David Laszkiewicz from Dingwall Academy’s winning design was chosen from over 700 entries and 26 schools across Scotland for a place in the ‘Get ready for the year ahead’ calendar, which aims to encourage everyone across the country to ‘think ahead’ and be better prepared for all kinds of emergencies.  
 
It was David’s picture of the items which should be kept in an emergency kit to prepare for severe weather which impressed the judges. It now represents September 2013 in the calendar, which has been put together by the Scottish Government, Education Scotland, British Red Cross and Scottish Water.
 
David is among a total of 20 pupils from other schools across the country whose eye-catching designs make-up the 14-month calendar. Each picture helps to communicate the importance of preparing for emergencies at home, in the community and in the car, and the simple steps we can all take to do so.
 
In the last three years, parts of Scotland have been badly affected by different forms of severe weather – from the damaging storms of early 2012 to the snow and freezing temperatures of the previous two winters, which were among the worst in decades.
 
The Ready for Winter? campaign - in partnership with the British Red Cross and thousands of other organisations across Scotland – provides everyone with information and advice on how to prepare and cope with all kinds of severe weather including snow, ice, flooding and high-winds.
 
David was today presented with his original picture framed and a copy of the ‘Get ready for the year ahead’ calendar.   The school also received £100 of gift vouchers for art materials along with a copy of the calendar.
 
Minister for Transport and Veterans Keith Brown said: “Being prepared for winter and all kinds of severe weather is something we all need to take responsibility for. This year’s campaign is encouraging everyone in Scotland to start thinking about how severe weather could impact them, at home, before setting out on journeys, in their communities, and at their place of work.”
 
“The Scottish Government was keen to engage school children as part of its activity to help raise awareness about the importance of emergency preparedness, and to highlight the new ‘Ready for Emergencies’ online learning resource, introduced in June,  which is part of the Curriculum for Excellence. By running the competition and creating the ‘Get ready for the year ahead’ calendar has encouraged class rooms to get creative with a serious message.”
 
The judging panel was highly impressed  by the talent demonstrated across all entries and age groups, as well as the colourful interpretations and understanding of the key messages the calendar aims to promote on an all-year-round basis.
 
The 2012-2013 calendar includes a variety of helpful advice, tips and quick quizzes on how we can all get better prepared for bad weather and other emergency situations throughout the year.  There is also an emergency kit checklist and a list of emergency contact numbers included.
 
People can pick up a free copy of the ‘Get ready for the year ahead’ calendar at the Ready for Winter? national road shows, which are  currently visiting all local authority areas across the country, offering practical information and guidance on preparing for all kinds of severe weather.  The free calendar is also available at British Red Cross shops across Scotland, while stocks last.
 
For more information on the Ready for Winter? campaign visit www.readyscotland.org