Schools take home top prizes by Turning Yorkshire Yellow
Schools along the route of the Grand Départ of the Tour de France have created show-stopping floral displays to wow crowds from across the globe.
The prize winning displays from Holmfirth High School and St Patrick’s Catholic Primary, Huddersfield, gives up to six children from each school the once-in-a-life time to catch the world’s best cyclists on stage at the biggest ever Team Presentation ceremony on July 3 at the first direct arena, Leeds, along with a share of £500 in gardening vouchers.
Judges from Syngenta, Welcome to Yorkshire and the Royal Horticultural Society were so impressed with the quality of entries they decided to declare the schools joint winners.
World leading agribusiness, Syngenta, working in conjunction with Welcome to Yorkshire, the tourism agency which led the successful bid to bring the Tour de France to Yorkshire, and the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), gifted seeds, know-how and vouchers to help schools across the region celebrate the arrival of the Grand Départ this summer by Turning Yorkshire Yellow.
240 Yorkshire schools lining the race route were each given a share of 120,000 seeds of Antirrhinum Majus Arrow Yellow, a yellow flowering snapdragon, and asked to use their surroundings and the best of Yorkshire as inspiration for the competition.
Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “The judges were so impressed with the quality of the entries we felt it was only fair to select two winners – the schools’ creative use of colours and bicycles really showcases the best of the region and offers the warmest of welcomes to the region. In addition to Yorkshire’s abundant countryside and greenery, the school’s displays will no doubt delight fans from across the globe and make the race the biggest show anyone has ever seen.”
Carl Sykes, Community Relations Manager from Syngenta in Huddersfield, said: “Syngenta is a world leader in seeds and crop protection and we are very proud to support the Grand Départ in Yorkshire through this educational competition. The displays from schools which took part were stunning and to a very high standard, adding very much to the beauty of our region as we welcome the world’s biggest cycling race to Yorkshire.”
Libby Goodacre, RHS Regional Development Manager, said: “We’re absolutely delighted with the entries from the school children in Yorkshire on this fantastic planting project. It has sparked an interest in gardening for the pupils and inspired them to continue growing plants and engage with the environment in this way at an early an age as possible.”
The Grand Départ of the Tour de France takes place in Yorkshire on the weekend of the 5th and the 6th July. The first stage races from Leeds to Harrogate via the Yorkshire Dales and the second stage race from York to Sheffield via Pennine Yorkshire. More details about the Grand Départ are available online at www.letouryorkshire.com, a third stage takes place on the 7th July racing from Cambridge to London.
The two schools with the most creative design win six tickets to the Team Presentation and a share of up to £500 for their school in gardening vouchers, donated by Syngenta.
