Bassetlaw: Samantha has the top design in water safety campaign competition

Competition winner Samantha Wright (eight) with campaign mascot Serek the Dolphin and Rob and Glynn from Worksop Leisure Centre

Fifteen schools in and around Bassetlaw embarked on a design competition, organised by leisure operators BPL, where young people from Years One,Two and Three were tasked with designing a poster that depicts swim safety – including the BPL mascot Derek the Dolphin.

All the designs were obtained from the schools and BPL narrowed them down to 10 finalists before the final winner was decided upon because of the design’s strong message and bright colours.

Eight year-old Samantha Wright from St John’s C of E was the overall winner and her design will be distributed all over the region to raise awareness of swim safety.

A BPL swim ambassador headed into the school with Derek to unveil the winning artwork as posters, badges and free swim vouchers.

The swim ambassador will also head into other schools in the borough to educate young people of the dangers of water.

Simon Ferrarelli, Retford Leisure Centre facility manager said: “Swim safety especially around the summer months is extremely important and if we can raise this awareness through a great competition that allows the winning design to be the visual for the campaign, the it’s brilliant.”