Stocking thrillers!
Schoolgirls celebrate after winning festive competition
THREE schoolgirls will have extra special stockings to hang up at Christmas after their winning designs were printed professionally.
Gladstone Primary Academy pupils Daisy Perkins, Abigail Cope and Casey Holdham swept the board in a competition to find the best designs for festive socks.
The challenge was open to schools across the Longton area, with youngsters submitting entries in three age categories.
As part of their prize, the girls from the Sandford Hill-based school also got to become VIPS and switch on the town’s Christmas lights.
Organised by Longton Community Partnership, it saw each pupil given the outline of a stocking to draw round and decorate.
Eleven-year-old Abigail, from Longton, said: “I put a snowman on my design because no one else in my class did the same thing.
“It was exciting to win. I’ve entered the competition every year since I was in Year 1 and have never won before.”
The three winning designs were then incorporated into a screen print, which was produced by Hanley-based Entrepreneurs. And the winners helped pull the printing lever to create their final stockings.
Eight-year-old Daisy, from Meir Hay, said: “I put Santa Claus on the top of my design. I also put some dots on the back of the foot. I thought it was really good.”
She will now be putting out the professionally made stocking on a shelf at home, ready for presents at Christmas.
Getting to switch on the town’s lights has also been a treat for the winners.
Five-year-old Casey, from Meir Hay, said: “We had to pull on the lever and the Christmas tree lights came on. It was exciting. Santa was there as well.”
To round off the prizes, the winners were also invited to the Lord Mayor’s parlour and were given goodie bags filled with items from Smyth’s Toys.
Sue Rammell, home-school link worker at Gladstone, said: “We had all 480 children take part from our school. It’s the first time we’ve had all the winners.”
Kath Roberts, secretary of Longton Community Partnership, said: “It’s an annual competition that we hold as part of our Christmas event. This year, we wanted to have a Christmas stocking theme.
“We had an independent judge – Edward Walker from Walkers Nonsuch – who picked the winners. Each of them have now got their own stocking.”