Two schools from Worcestershire have won first and second prize in an art competition organised by National Grid and Bishops Wood Environmental Centre.  Pupils from St Mary's First School in Kidderminster and Millfields First School in Bromsgrove have scooped prize money totalling £5,000 by creating a piece of art that links the themes of football, energy and the environment. 

The competition was devised by electricity company National Grid to highlight its role in meeting demand for power during this year's World Cup.  To enter, the children were asked to create a piece of art that illustrated the three themes in whatever way they chose.  To help them on their way, they were given five footballs which had to be included in the artwork. 

St Mary's pupils produced a model of an environmentally friendly football stadium complete with wind powered floodlights with the footballs acting as huge lightbulbs.  The children of Millfields School decorated the footballs as world globes and incorporated them into a giant Newton's cradle. 

More than 20 entries were received from schools around the country that have links with National Grid's network of environmental education centres.  In addition to the cash prizes, each of the winning pupils was presented with an educational science kit.

Sue Hughes Payne, National Grid's community relations adviser said:  'We set the schools what we thought would be a difficult task of linking three disparate themes but we were very impressed by the imaginative ways they brought them together in their work.  Each school sent us a DVD showing how they devised and created their artwork and it's clear they all put in a huge amount of work, not just in the practical work but also in their research of energy and environmental issues of the countries competing in the World Cup.'

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For further information contact Jane Taylor on 07785 220647

Staff and pupils from the winning school St Mary’s would be pleased to be photographed with their winning artwork.  To arrange a photocall please contact Carol Lloyd on 01926 655372.

National Grid

National Grid is a leading international energy infrastructure business - the largest utility in the UK.

Through National Grid Gas plc (formerly Transco), it owns and operates over 6,800 kilometres of high-pressure transmission pipeline across Great Britain, and 132,000 kilometres of lower-pressure distribution gas mains in the North West, the Midlands, East Anglia and North London – more than half of Britain's gas transportation network, delivering gas to around 11 million homes, offices and factories.  National Grid sold the four gas distribution networks covering the rest of Britain to other companies in June 2005.

Through National Grid Electricity Transmission plc, the company operates the high-voltage electricity transmission network across Great Britain, and owns the network in England and Wales.

National Grid will continue to manage the National Gas Emergency Service freephone line 0800 111 999*.

National Grid Environmental education centres

Bishop's Wood is part of National Grid's network of environmental education centres. It lies in the grounds of the high-voltage electricity substation at Crossway Green near Stourport

Our centres are run in partnership with local education authorities, environmental charities and other organisations, and provide outdoor learning opportunities for schools and a range of activities and training for adults, community groups and companies.

National Grid environmental education centre sites range in size from a few acres in an urban setting to 80 acres of meadows and ancient woodland.  All provide a safe and secure environment for all age groups to learn about their natural world.