News Release

27 November 2012

Great Barrier kids illustrate Christmas for Mayor

Artwork by four Great Barrier Island school children will feature on Mayor Len Brown and the Auckland Council’s Christmas cards this year.

The council and Len Brown use a mix of electronic and hard copy Christmas cards each year.

For the second year running, the Mayor asked a group of Auckland school children to design a picture for use on his Mayoral Christmas card. Students from Great Barrier Island schools were invited to produce pictures of what they thought best represents an Auckland summer and/or the Kiwi festive season.

“I loved the pictures I received. There were some great visions of our summer Christmas,” says the Mayor. “There was everything from a rocket-propelled sleigh and dolphins leaping in the gulf to people snorkelling, fishing and kayaking. Plus Santa doing some great summer activities, lots of native birds and our own Christmas tree, the pohutukawa.

”I’m thrilled I can showcase Great Barrier Island’s kids’ talent and imagination on the cards that I send to contacts in Auckland, the rest of New Zealand and internationally.”

The Mayor chose a picture of Santa surfing by nine-year-old Emma Watts from Mulberry Grove School to go on his Christmas card.

“Emma’s picture just made me smile – she wraps up summer and Christmas in one strong image of a great Kiwi Santa surfing.”

Auckland Council staff were so impressed by the positive feedback received about the Mayor’s 2011 Christmas card, painted by then-six-year-olds Rylee Mackay and James Hooper from Waiau Pa Primary School, and the great pictures received from Great Barrier Island schools this year, that they decided to adopt some of the pictures for their organisational cards.

The Auckland Council cards will feature pictures by Ronan Jans Guthrie-Hoven (10) and Asha Riley Bridge (6) from Mulberry Grove School, and Jacob Francis Montgomerie (9) from Kaitoke School.

All the pictures sent in by the Great Barrier Island schools will be on display in the Auckland Town Hall throughout December, and will be displayed on Great Barrier Island in the New Year.

Each of the children whose art was selected for cards will receive 20 copies each of ‘their’ card for their own use once the cards are printed. On behalf of the Mayor, chair of the Great Barrier Local Board Paul Downie will present certificates to all the children who participated on behalf of the Mayor, as well as letters and the printed cards to the chosen artists.

Ends

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