SCHOOLCHILDREN from the Colin area have won an art competition aimed at helping spread the message of community safety. Organised by Translink and the Colin Neighbourhood Partnership (CNP), the winning design will now displayed in buses throughout West Belfast.

Overall winners Hannah Lundy from Good Shepherd Primary School and Laura Robinson from St Kieran’s Primary School travelled to Parliament Buildings in Stormont on Tuesday where the Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness met with the children at an event attended by Colin MLA and Junior Minister Jennifer McCann and other representatives from West Belfast.

Hannah and Laura’s winning images will now be used in posters to be displayed on Translink buses throughout West Belfast. Classes from both schools were also treated to a day trip courtesy of Translink and CNP.

The competition comes after a spate of attacks on emergency services vehicles in the area in recent weeks and it is hoped the poster initiative will go some way to alleviating the problem.

Speaking about the competition, Junior Minister Jennifer McCann said: “I was delighted to host this awards ceremony for schoolchildren from the Colin area who have taken the initiative in promoting respect for our essential services. They have produced some tremendous artwork and myself and the Deputy First Minister look forward to seeing them on our public transport system.”

Michael George, CNP Community Safety Development Officer, said: “The idea behind the competition was to educate local children about the importance of community safety and the negative impact of anti-social attacks on essential public service vehicles.

“In response to recent incidents involving the vandalism of emergency services property, CNP, in conjunction with Translink, initiated this programme with local schools. Almost 170 pupils have taken part in the awareness-raising initiative culminating in a poster contest highlighting what the dangers of targeting essential services could be. We hope that the message we put across this year will have a long-term effect on all the essential services.”