kids competitions

check out 2 competitions below: the first is photography(deadline 31 july 2009), the second is for budding food writers and cooks (deadline 23 april 2009)

Get snapping and you could pick up a prize
Here's a great competition for budding photographers interested in wildlife - for individuals and schools or community projects.  This information is taken from natural england's website - there are over £13,500 worth of prizes and a year-long nationwide exhibition tour.  Competition closes 31 July 2009:

"A brand new competition, the British Wildlife Photography Awards, is being established to celebrate the talents of amateur and professional photographers and to highlight the great wealth and diversity of British natural history. Natural England is sponsoring the ‘Wildlife in my Locality’ and the special ‘Schools, Youth and Community Group Award’ as part of its ‘One Million Children Outdoors’ campaign.

"Natural England is delighted to be involved with these inaugural British Wildlife Photography Awards as it is a great opportunity to motivate people of all ages – especially schoolchildren – to get outside with a camera to capture what amazing wildlife is living in their garden, or around the corner in a local nature reserve, or further afield in other nature reserves or national parks. 

"The four-month “call for entries” period runs from Thursday 2 April to Friday 31 July coinciding with school and family holidays right across the UK.

There are seven categories to give people a wide selection of ideas to choose from:

1. Animal portraits
2. Animal behaviour
3. Urban wildlife
4. Hidden britain
5. Coast and marine
6. Wildlife in my locality
7. Habitat: animals in their environment and plants and partners

"There are two special awards to encourage young people, schools and community groups to participate by submitting portfolios of work: the ‘Young British Wildlife Photographer Under 18 Award’ and the ‘Schools, Youth and Community Group Award’. Affordable entry fees have been set up to encourage all demographic groups and ages to take part.

"With total prizes worth £13,500 and the overall winner receiving a cash prize of £5,000, there is plenty to celebrate. There will be an Awards ceremony in the autumn and a premier launch exhibition at a prestigious London photographic gallery for all winners and commended entries. A year-long nationwide tour of the exhibition will follow throughout England, Scotland and Wales.

The British Wildlife Photography Awards are being supported by Natural England, WWF-UK, The Wildlife Trusts, The Woodland Trust, The National Trust, The National Trust for Scotland and Outdoor Photography Magazine. With this level and breadth of commitment, it is hoped that the BWPA will set the standard for British wildlife photography for many years to come.

For details on how to enter the competition, entry fees, category prizes, Special Awards prizes, the judging panel, the Awards ceremony and launch, and the nationwide exhibition tour dates and venues, visit: www.bwpawards.org


Do you want to be a food writer?  Or how about a chef?

If the answers yes, then read on.....

The guild of food writers is looking for future writers in this years competition writeit!  If you're between 10 and 18 years of age you can apply.

If the answers yes, then read on.....The guild of food writers is looking for future writers in this years competition   If you're between 10 and 18 years of age you can apply.

They're also looking for budding chefs in this years cookit! competition - here're the details but make sure you apply soon so you don't miss the deadline. 

The cookit! competition, sponsored by gold top, is open to all young cooks aged between 10 and 14 years of age. The theme for 2009 is ‘high five!’ and entrants are asked to create a delicious two-course family meal using five or more different fruit and vegetables.

The importance of eating fruit and vegetables is well known, but the judges will be looking for entrants that can really show just how delicious they are too.

The six finalists will be invited to London, all expenses paid, on thursday 4 June 2009, where they will prepare their meals for a panel of judges including Xanthe Clay (saturday telegraph and author of recipes to know by heart) and Mike Robinson (of the pot kiln in berkshire).

There will be some great prizes to be won and the final will also feature in a future edition of bbc good food magazine. Closing date for entries is thursday 23 april 2009.

click this link to find a download for the entry form http://www.gfw.co.uk/children/?sub=62

Good luck - we know our region's got talent.