In April, Royal Mail announced a competition to design a set of special stamps entitled Heroes of the Pandemic, marking the important role played by key and frontline workers through the coronavirus pandemic, with a competition for UK schoolchildren aged 4-14.
With such a wide age range the standard will vary, of course, but even from the younger students some very good designs have been revealed today. Designs by 120 children have made it to the regional finals and will now be considered to determine which will be the final 8 issued as stamps.
You can read more about the competition and the judges, in the full announcement with links to all 120 designs here.
Inevitably the majority of the 600,000+ entries submitted focus on NHS workers who were crucial and closer to the 'front line' than any. Captain Sir Tom Moore also features in many extremely good designs. Even incorporating many different key workers has not proved impossible - I think I saw one with eight different groups represented.
But the scientists looking for vaccines, the transport workers, postal workers, are also represented, along with 'Helpful Neighbours', foodbank volunteers, and police. Here is a selection of ones that I liked.
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Covid Vaccine Scientists, Maddie Bomsey (13)
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The NHS, Connie Stuart (14)
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Kind neighbours, Milo Morgan (10)
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'NHS, Sir Tom, and a Teacher, Alexis Maranon (12)
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'Separated Families', Julia Bebbington (9)
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'Those who discovered and administered the vaccine', Megan Barbour (13)
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NHS Workers, Jessica Roberts (14)
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Delivery Drivers, Harry Lipson (8)
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Vaccine Scientist, Calleigh Tan (11)
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'My hero is my teacher in year 5, Mrs Jones', Grave Miller (10)
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NHS Staff, Desandi haputhanthrige (13)
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I particularly liked this one which conveys the level of sheer exhaustion that many nursing staff reached.
and I had to chuckle at these - very worthy, but unexpected.
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Immy Cairns decided her mum (a farmer) should be on a stamp - and why not as a representative of the nation's farmers?
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The Government's Chief Medical Officer is unlikely to be portrayed on the finished product, but Rhoana Stentiford produced this clever design of Chris Whitty, and I'm sure he would be very flattered.
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Similarly the specific AstraZeneca vaccine probably won't get a mention, but it's clever of Amber Yasin (11) to include Sarah Gilbert in the mix.
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There isn't one properly recognising postal workers.
ReplyDeleteI don't think they will be surprised.
I saw several designs showing posties alone or in a group with others. You did look at them all?
DeleteSorry, I didn't know more than those fifteen images had been released.
DeleteWhat is slightly unnerving about these wonderful pieces of artwork is that they are actually a lot better than much of the stuff featured on RM stamps in recent years for which no doubt RM has paid large sums of money to ‘professional’ designers.
ReplyDelete