Art for Guernsey competition inspired by local seafaring pioneer
Pupils on the island flaunted their winning football shirt designs along Market Street, with local artist Frances Lemmon and Guernsey seafaring pioneer William Le Lacheur as their inspiration.
Art for Guernsey has been running a football shirt design competition for all Guernsey schools, using William Le Lacheur’s trip to Costa Rica – where he introduced football – as the basis of their designs, with hundreds of children getting involved, resulting in 18 winning designs. Art for Guernsey chairman David Ummels said the competition celebrated creativity as well as the island’s connection with Costa Rica.
‘Many people on the island know nothing about William Le Lacheur, now I would be surprised if there was a child in the island who did not know about him,’ he said. ‘There are schools that have introduced learning about him in their curriculum because of this. It’s great because it shows the connection between Guernsey and Costa Rica.’
He added: ‘It’s been brilliant, it has brought the sport and art world together, we’ve been blown away by the children’s shirt designs. ‘The kids have learnt a lot and have been great, they have such creativity. We’ve had people off cruise ships wanting to buy the kids’ designs, but they’re not available to buy.’ The children with winning designs were surprised on the day with a shirt of their own to take away.
One winner, Poppy Bisson, 10, said she had been really excited to win. ‘I designed it in 20 minutes,’ she said. ‘I put the country flags in the corners just like on football shirts, as well as a volcano for Costa Rica and the Rousse tower for Guernsey. I think it turned out well.’
Fellow winner Tia Willcocks, 8, said it was great to have won. ‘I’m really pleased,’ she said. ‘I might wear it to school to show off to all my classmates.’ Parent of another winner, Amy Mahy, said she was very proud. ‘It took her hours, days even to make it and she came up with the design all by herself,’ said Lucy Mahy.
