Back in May 2013 the wickerman festivals charity side ‘ Rerrick Events’ launched competition to all primary schools in the Stewartry.
To enter the pupils were required to design a colour image for the front of a t-shirt in an African theme. The headteacher from each school had to submit one chosen entry, with each entry received being judged by the Rerrick Events committee. The winning school was Auchencairn primary school, with Lucy Smiths design , which is now being worn by the smaller Wickerman at the festival entrance . The T shirt and shorts were once again sewn and constructed by the Amazing JaneSmith from Solway Feeders . The print work was done by Elite Display from Dumfries!
Rerrick Events was established as a not for profit organisation in 2003, to run the activities for the Wickerman Festival. It is run by a local group from Dumfries and Galloway as a vehicle to raise money for charitable causes. For the last two years the organisation has supported a young Tanzanian orphan named James Okeyo, who lives in a small village near Mount Kilimanjaro.
Schools in Tanzania are not free to attend, however James was educated for free until the age of eight as his grandmother worked at his local school. On his eighth birthday, Rerrick Events took on the yearly cost of sending him to school and have raised the fee in various ways, including fundraising in the Wickerman Festival’s children’s area. And again this year the small fee to enter the children’s area will all go towards Helping pay for education for James !
Last Friday afternoon I was invited along to meet the kids involved in the competition from Auchencairn, and also meet Lucy Smith who drew the winning design . I chatted to Norma Maxwell , Lucy’s headmistress , who told me , Lucy was in p7 when she entered the competition, but she will be going on to Dalbeattie high at the end of the summer holidays! I also spoke to Lucy’s mum Pamela , who said Lucy had worked hard on the design of the t shirt , and had come up with the great idea of combining a picture of the wickerman , into the map of Africa . Which you can now all see, now and right through the whole of the festival weekend at the main gates of the festival ground !
Also during the photo shoot , there were some very colourful guests , several of the Wickerman festival farms Texal Tups had decided to show off their wonderful festival style fleeces, and they caused the kids, us photographers and Jamie ( the owner of the wickerman festival) and Chris Caygil a neighbouring Farmer and sheep dog trainer , much laughter while trying to get them to stand still long enough to pose for a few shots !
One partner. No competitors. Full visibility across the region.
