Mayor celebrates young artists in Raunds Christmas Card Competition
Children from Raunds Park Infant School and Windmill Primary School were among those invited to take part in the annual Christmas Card Competition organised by Raunds Town Council.
The competition challenged local children to create a festive design for the Council's official Christmas card, which will be used by councillors throughout the holiday season. Young artists from across the town embraced the opportunity to showcase their creativity and festive spirit, producing a wide range of imaginative entries.
This week, the Mayor of Raunds, Cllr Bill Cross, visited the Raunds Park Infant and Windmill Primary schools to personally thank the children for taking part. During the visits, he presented each child with festive chocolate coins in recognition of the time, effort and creativity they had invested in their designs.
The Mayor praised both the quality of the artwork and the conduct of the pupils he met during his visits.
Esmai from Windmill Primary School was selected as the overall winner of the competition. As an added reward, the winning child has been invited to join the Mayor in switching on the Raunds Christmas lights in Market Square on 29th November 2026, helping to mark the official start of the town's festive celebrations.
Cllr Cross said: "Raunds Town Council greatly values its strong relationship with our local schools, and the annual Christmas Card Competition is a wonderful example of that partnership in action. Over the years, it has become a much-loved tradition, giving children the opportunity to showcase their creativity and artistic talent while contributing to an important part of our town's festive celebrations.
"I was particularly impressed not only by the quality and imagination shown in the entries, but also by the pupils' politeness, enthusiasm and exemplary behaviour during my visits. I am delighted to be welcoming the winning pupil to join me at the Christmas Lights Switch-On event on 29th November, where together we will bring their winning design to life and officially launch the festive season in Raunds."
The annual competition continues to be a highlight of the town's festive calendar, celebrating the creativity of local children while strengthening the close partnership between Raunds Town Council and its schools.