A St Albans schoolboy has been crowned joint county champion of an annual art competition.
Year 4 pupil at Garden Fields JMI School, Alfie Douglas, was completely unaware that he had won the Armed Forces Covenant Board Schools Christmas Arts Competition 2018 until it was announced in a special assembly on January 28.
The theme this year was the World War One centenary, which saw about 800 entries from 22 schools around the county judged by Northwood HQ, the UK’s principal military headquarters.
All of the competition entries were distributed to armed forces personnel working away from home at Christmas.
Alfie’s winning design depicted a snowman coloured in with poppies.
Group Captain Jason Sutton from the Joint Forces Command Unit in Northwood presented Alfie with his award. He said Alfie’s artwork “summed up Christmas perfectly in a picture”.
The other winner was 11-year-old Annabelle Walsh, from St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Royston.
Alfie and Annabelle, along with a friend and parent, will both enjoy a day of activities at Northwood HQ as a prize.
Chairman of the Hertfordshire Armed Forces Covenant Board, Herts county councillor Terry Douris, said: “We are delighted that so many schools took part in this annual competition.
“It gives children from across Hertfordshire the chance to show their appreciation of the UK armed forces and we know artwork from local children offers a great morale booster for serving personnel who are separated from their families at Christmas time.
“St. Mary’s and Garden Fields JMI schools gave us such a warm welcome and both schools’ approach to the community and the Armed Forces is wonderful.
“We are delighted that the winners of this competition - Annabelle Walsh and Alfie Douglas - will be treated to a great day of activities at the Northwood Headquarters and lunch in the Officers’ Mess.”
Along with Cllr Douris, Herts county councillor Roma Mills attended Alfie’s special assembly in which representatives from the RAF, army and navy spoke about their work.
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