The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) in partnership with Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend (BOIOFW) and competition sponsor Asda, are challenging pupils across Northern Ireland (NI) to “Dig in!” and put their creative skills to the test in celebration of the eleventh Open Farm Weekend event. This year’s theme is “Dig in! to food, farming and the environment.”
The theme has been chosen to help the UFU promote the ‘Dig in!’ resource as the UFU joined forces with Agri Aware to help primary school children understand what happens on farms. Nursery, primary and special schools are asked to put their creative skills to the test and take part in our exciting competition that Asda have kindly agreed to sponsor.
Closing date for entries is Friday 29 April 2022.
What does the competition entail?
The competition is split into five sections:
- Foundation level (Nursery, pre-school and playgroups): “Food, farming and the environment.” Pupils should decorate the image. Download the template by clicking here.
- Foundation level (P1 and P2): “Food, farming and the environment.” Pupils should decorate the image. Download the template by clicking here.
- Key Stage 1 (P3 and P4): “The future of farming” – Mixed media or poster competition. (Any medium) This is open to the pupil’s own interpretation. Download the template by clicking here.
- Key Stage 2 (P5-P7): “Upcycling task” – Pupils are challenged to describe how they have upcycled an item and provide an image to showcase their creation. For example, an insect hotel, utilising wellington boots for floral displays, milk cartons as bird feeders, jam jars into stationary holders. Illustrations may be used to enhance this piece. Download the template by clicking here.
- Special schools: Pupils may enter any section of the competition.
Competition rules
- Playgroups, pre-schools, nursery schools and special schools: A template is available to download, this may be photocopied as many times as required. Physical entries must be maximum of A3 size. All entries must include the pupils name, age, year and school.
- Primary 1, Primary 2 and special schools: A template is available to download, this may be photocopied as many times as required. Physical entries must be maximum of A3 size. All entries must include the pupils name, age, year and school.
- Primary 3, Primary 4 and special schools: Template is provided however this is open to pupils’ own interpretation and there is no restriction on media used – painting, photography and mixed media artworks are all eligible. Physical entries must be maximum of A3 size. All entries must include the pupils name, age, year and school.
- Primary 5, Primary 6, Primary 7 and special schools: Template is provided however this is open to pupils’ own interpretation and there is no restriction on media used – painting, photography and mixed media artworks are all eligible. Physical entries must be maximum of A3 size. All entries must include the pupils name, age, year and school.
Entries are non-returnable. The winning entries will be used by Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend and the UFU, and copyright will not apply. There is no limit to the number of entries and schools can photocopy the poster as many times as required. Originality and neatness will be taken into consideration during judging. The judges’ decision is final.
Please note: Entries will be showcased on social media and on farms throughout the weekend where children’s names are visible. If a pupil wishes not to have their name on display, please write their name on the back and the Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend schools co-ordinator will blank this out.
Competition prizes
- £200 for the winning school in each section plus transport for a class to the nearest participating open farm.
- £40 for the winning pupil in each section.
- £100 for the runner-up school in each section plus a Bramley apple tree.
- £20 for the runner-up pupil in each section.
If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact:
Lynsay Hawkes at UFU HQ (028) 9037 0222 or lhawkes@ufuhq.com.
Send entries to:
BOIOFW schools competition
Ulster Farmers’ Union,
475 Antrim Road,
Belfast,
BT15 3DA
