Five youngsters have been chosen by the Mayor of Penzance as the winners of this year’s Christmas Card Competition.

Entries for the contest, now in its fourth year, were all based on the theme A Homemade Christmas with all Year 5 and 6 school pupils in the Penzance Parish invited to take part.

More than 140 designs were submitted from Gulval School, Heamoor Community Primary School, Newlyn School, St Mary’s CofE School, and St Mary’s Catholic Primary School.

The Mayor Jonathan How, was tasked with selecting five: one from each of the five schools who entered. The overall winner this year, whose design will be turned into Christmas cards for the Mayor, is Jacey Gardiner from Gulval School.

Cllr How said: “Hopefully the theme made the young people take another look at Christmas and realise it’s about more than just brightly coloured plastic toys.

“There were many really great submissions, but I felt Jacey’s design was the one which expressed Homemade Christmas best – using images and words.”

The winners were; Jacey Gardiner from Gulval School (overall winner), Keyna Owers from Heamoor Community Primary School, Theo Rail-Eddy from Newlyn School, Lottie McAlister from St Mary’s CofE Primary School and  Tyler from St Mary’s Catholic Primary School.

The winning card designs
The winning card designs (Contributed)

A spokesperson at Gulval School, said: “Everyone at Gulval is thrilled Jacey has been awarded the overall winner.

“Following the theme of ‘A homemade Christmas’, Jacey’s card was centred around ‘love’ and how this can be embodied in seemingly small actions we show to others and the time we spend with friends and family – making homemade gifts, putting up decorations, baking and making memories together.

“Jacey wanted to recognise it is the thought behind gifts rather than the actual gift itself that makes a difference to people at Christmas time.

“We are excited Jacey’s design will be sent far and wide for all to see and we wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, with the hope all families get to spend this precious time together.”

Jacey’s winning design will be sent from the Mayor of Penzance across the Duchy and beyond, as far away as Nevada City in California, to schools, community organisations, parish councillors, and the armed forces.

The winner from each school will also be receiving a fully stocked art box and a personal letter from the mayor.