Litter-pick snap wins photography contest

A PICTURE of a five-year-old boy litter picking with his mum at a Rhondda miners’ memorial has won the hearts of photography judges, finishing first in a national competition.

The image, taken as part of Ferndale Grassroots’ “Clean Up Day”, showed little Cooper and mum Nicola Wakeford at the Ferndale and Blaenllechau Miners’ Memorial.

It won the Members Photography Competition, a contest set up by the Wales Council for Voluntary Action to depict the passion and variety of volunteers in Wales, and the winner was announced on Thursday.

The litter-pick was a part of a wider community project centred on the memorial. The Ferndale Grassroots group took home £100 for winning, as well as a £60 book token and a year’s subscription to the Adobe Creative Cloud Photography plan.

Ferndale Grassroots committee member Wayne Carter, who took the winning photograph, said: “I am delighted that this image of the hard work volunteers undertake, at whatever age, captures the human spirit, commitment and energy to make a positive impact in our communities.”

Established in 2015, Ferndale Grassroots is a voluntary group in the Rhondda Fach working for community cohesion and trying to bring community spirit back to Ferndale.

Among the other top entries in the competition were photos of volunteers on environmental projects, helping at homework clubs, fundraising for hospice care, campaigning on sexual health, running a community food co-op and supporting an up-and-coming social enterprise.

WCVA chief executive Ruth Marks said: “Volunteering and social action is so diverse and the photos help capture some of this great diversity.”

The photographs will feature in a national exhibition which will be on display in Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff over the summer, at WCVA’s stand at the National Eisteddfod in Anglesey in August, and at the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea in November.