MEMBERS of the Helensburgh Garelochside Rotary Club are used to sifting through poster competition entries from the area’s primary schools – but for COP26 recently they spread their wings and ended up receiving submissions from schools all over the UK.

Between June and October the club ran a competition inviting primary pupils from across the country to design posters reflecting their views on the climate emergency and their solutions to it.

More than 3,800 schoolchildren took part in the competition, run in partnership with Rotary clubs across the UK, and local club president Tariq Durrani and secretary John Macpherson had the task of sifting through them all.

An independent jury selected the three winning entries, with the winner coming from Emma O’Donnell of Kirkburton Middle School in West Yorkshire, submitted through Denby Dale Rotary Club.

Second place went to Austin Harris of Methlick Primary in Aberdeenshire, submitted through the Oldmeldrum and District club, and third place was awarded to Lucy Santer of Pipers Corner School in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, sent through Amersham Rotary Club.

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The three winning posters and 20 ‘highly commended’ entries were put on display throughout the conference, and were praised by Baroness Scotland, the Commonwealth Secretary General at COP26, who said the competition was” a superb way of raising awareness and of involving young people in tackling the climate challenge”.

She said that the winning poster, illustrating a heart with valves belching out smoke, depicted an “absolutely powerful message to keep it beating”.

Mr Macpherson said: “The competition helped raise awareness in schools of the issues of climate change and the discussions taking place at COP26 and enabled primary school children to be part of this.

“It also gave COP26 delegates an opportunity to see the work of young children and their views on climate change.”

The posters were also displayed at COY16 – the 16th UN Conference of the Youth, held at the University of Strathclyde from October 28-31 – and displays were also set up on the marble steps of the Glasgow City Chambers and at three leading Glasgow hotels during COP26.

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In addition the posters have been put on display in the ‘sustainability zone’ in the departures area at Glasgow Airport, and will remain there for several months.

The airport display has received praise from the renowned Scottish portrait painter Gerard Burns, who recorded a video commentary on the artwork, saying: “Children are the ones who will be most affected by what’s coming down the line.

“Right at this point these children are powerless. They don’t have a voice, so things like this give them the opportunity to put their thoughts and ideas down on paper.

“This is a brilliant way to get their words out and their feelings expressed.”

And the icing on the cake for the local Rotary members was a visit from Shekhar Mehta, president of Rotary International, who stayed at the Rosslea Hall Hotel in Rhu during his own visit to COP26.

Mr Mehta presented Paul Harris Fellowships – one of the Rotary movement’s highest honours ­– to Professor Durrani and Mr Macpherson in recognition of their efforts.