A POSTER, a short story and a set of paintings, all inspired by the experience of lockdown, have been chosen as the winners of a creative competition run by the Crediton Heart Project.

The “My Life in Lockdown” competition, organised to celebrate the launch of the Heart Project’s new community website, invited people of all ages to create something to express how lockdown had affected their lives.

“We had a fantastic range of entries, including poems, prose, paintings, songs, sculpture and even Lego,” said Heart Project Chair Rosemary Stephenson. “Our judges were amazed by the skill and high quality of the work we received from all ages.”

Music teacher Suzie Yates won the adult category for a series of paintings inspired by her walks during lockdown.

“I picked up my paintbrushes after many years of making excuses why I could not.  I’m so glad I did - it’s saved me from anxiety as I completely lose myself in it,” said Suzie.

Three adult entries were also highly commended by the judges; a satirical cartoon by Jamie Sollis, some cleverly illustrated recipe cards by Chloe Turner and a moving poem by Sam Lee.

Kiki Shaw (16) won the teenage category for her thought-provoking short story called “Sunny Days on the Island” and in the five to 12 years group, seven-year-old Tilly Thompson took first prize, for her heart shaped poster about what she was missing in lockdown.

Joint runners-up in the younger age group were seven-year-old Rupert, who made a Lego model of his whole family staying safe at home, and 11 year-old Leah Bragg, who wrote a poem where the first letter of each line spelt LOCKDOWN.

The winners will all receive vouchers to spend in local shops listed on the Crediton In and Around website: www.creditoninandaround.co.uk .

“As well as celebrating local talent, we want the competition to support our wonderful local businesses which have all worked so hard to adapt and keep going during these difficult times,” explained Rosemary.

Crediton Courier editorial manager, Alan Quick, was one of the competition judges, along with electrician and lighting designer Jo Ward, art teacher and photographer Shirley Bebbington and international theatre and events producer Julian Stoneman, who is also a patron of the Heart Project.

The competition was supported by a special grant from the “Lottery25” fund to help celebrate 25 years of the National Lottery.

“The Lottery also helped fund the design and build of the website, so we are delighted to be able to celebrate their 25th anniversary at the same time as the launch of our new site, which aims to promote everything our area has to offer,” said Rosemary.

All the competition entries will be displayed on the Crediton In and Around website in a short video, which will also be shown on the screen in the window of Helmores estate agents.

During the next few weeks the stories behind many of the entries will be told as website blogs, adding to more than 70 fascinating local stories which have already been published.

The Crediton Heart Project is a local charity, which works to improve facilities and opportunities for local people living in the Crediton area. It is supported by Crediton Town Council, Mid Devon District Council, Devon County Council, the Co-op Community Fund, Crediton Dairy and Helmores.