A polluted world being unzipped to unveil a clean one was the feature of the winning design in a primary school art competition to promote Clean Air Day in Aberdeen today.
Eve McAllister, from Airyhall Primary School awarded first prize for her design, with second and third prizes won by Lexi Calder, from Hanover Street School and Tasya Thimaiah, also from Airyhall Primary. Each winner received a cycling voucher, funded by the Scottish Government, valuing £250 for first place, £50 for second and £25 for third.
Pupils were invited to enter artwork for the competition, titled Our Air – Keep It Clean, showing what clean air means to them, with the freedom to enter drawings, paintings, poems, collages or comic strips. The winners were announced during a live link from the event on Original 106, and will be on display at Aberdeen Science Centre until 7 August.
Aberdeen City Council Co-leader Councillor Ian Yuill said: “It is encouraging to see young people like Eve, Lexi and Tasya engaging with environmental issues, and their artwork showed terrific creativity and thoughtfulness.
“Clean Air Day highlights the importance of each of us thinking carefully about what we can do to make changes to improve air quality, including making smart travel choices, such as walking, wheeling, or using public transport and leaving our cars at home when they’re not needed.”
Clean Air Day is the UK’s largest campaign on air pollution, co-ordinated by Environmental Protection Scotland.
Today’s event took place at St. Nicholas Square and featured exhibitions, street entertainers and vehicles to promote messages around reducing pollution and congestion to improve air quality, with a focus on how clean air contributes to good mental health.