Sunderland schoolgirl's design chosen for Mayor's Christmas Card

The Mayor of Sunderland, Councillor Lynda Scanlan, is a regular visitor to St Joseph’s School RC Primary in Millfield and decided to ask the children there to help create the civic Christmas card she will be sending out this year to councillors, community, international partners, and civic and military dignitaries.

All 230 pupils were invited to take part in the design competition, and Coun Scanlan and her Mayoral Consort, former Sunderland footballer Micky Horswill, visited the school where they picked the winning design.

The winner was five-year-old Lilia Dobbing, who drew a colourful snowman as part of her Christmas card design.

Coun Scanlan said: “All the children’s pictures were brilliant and it’s a shame we could only pick one winner, but there was something about Lilia’s which really caught our eye with her imagination and flair.

“Our city has wonderful talented and creative children in all its schools, and I thought who better to design the Christmas card representing the Mayor’s office than pupils from a primary school in my local ward of Millfield where I know many of their families.

“I’ll be very proud to send these Christmas cards out locally, nationally and internationally, sharing goodwill messages with some of Sunderland’s greatest friends, supporters and partners as well as sharing a festive example of the creative talent of our children with the winning design.”

Lilia said: “I felt very excited and happy to be the one that was chosen.

“I really enjoyed doing the hat on the snowman, it took me a long time.”

Headteacher at the school Damian Groark added: “On behalf of everyone here at St Joseph’s I’d like to thank the Coun Scanlan for giving us this opportunity, children of all ages across the school took part in the competition and really enjoyed it.

“It’s been a wonderful experience and all our children worked very hard. All the entries were great and everybody can be very proud of their efforts, and we’d all like to congratulate Lilia for her winning entry.

“We’ve met the Mayor at a number of occasions this year such as at the Tall Ships and Heartstone Odyssey multi-cultural event, and she’s always been a great friend to our school.”

To help say a civic thank you to the school, Coun Scanlan will be giving a reading at St Joseph’s Christmas Carol Service on Wednesday, December 19, in St Joseph’s Church.