FINALISTS SELECTED FOR GLASGOW TAXIS SCHOOL COMPETITION

 Glasgow Taxis Ltd has announced the nine lucky school pupils who will have the chance to show off their artwork to the city by having it emblazoned on a ‘wrapped’ taxi.

Themed around the idea of ‘finding a safe place to cross the road’, the city’s taxi operator invited children to submit drawings to be in with a chance of having their design crowned as the overall champion. The winning school will also be rewarded with £400 of art vouchers, with £100 of vouchers gifted to the second place design.

Judging the competition was a panel made up of individuals sharing a wealth of knowledge on road safety. George Haggarty, a Cordia school crossing patroller who was the organisation’s champion, a Glasgow Taxis driver and George Cairns, Glasgow City Council road safety development officer reviewed the entries and all selected three finalists each.

The nine children shortlisted were 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, with the winner being announced on December 17.

Speaking about the competition, Stephen Flynn, vice chairman of Glasgow Taxis Ltd said: “Road safety is a very important issue, especially in the winter when the nights are darker and visibility is reduced.

“Children should be extra vigilant when near the roads, always looking to find a safe place to cross – whether that be with a crossing patroller, a zebra crossing or traffic lights.

“The idea of this competition is not only for children to get creative and have a bit of fun, but also to ensure that kids are aware of how important road safety is all year round.”

The theme of ‘finding a safe place to cross’ is in line with the work which Glasgow City Council’s Community Action Teams carry out in schools across the city, ensuring that children are aware of the risks associated with traffic.