Rudolph wins . . . by a nose

19/12/2007

A North East pupil has designed a cracker of a Christmas card for one of the region’s biggest companies. 

Eleven-year-old David Kinnair has won a competition to design Northumbrian Water’s 2007 Christmas card. 

David is one of 15 pupils from Castle View School in Sunderland who entered the competition to design a water-themed card for the company. 

The cheery and cheeky picture, which appears on the front of the card, of Rudolph the red nosed reindeer holding a glass of tap water caught the judge’s eye and is sure to give many a festive chuckle!  

Seven thousand cards have been printed and are being sent to Northumbrian Water stakeholders across the region, in the UK and abroad.  The design has also been incorporated into an e-card.

Receiving his £40 prize, David said: “I’m so happy to win.  I’m really proud of myself.  I shall use the vouchers to buy my sister’s Christmas present.” 

John Mowbray, Director of Corporate Affairs at Northumbrian Water, who chose the winning Christmas card design, said: “All the competition entries were very good but David’s stood out because it was simple, humorous and met our brief. 

“We’ve given David’s cheeky Rudolph the caption, ‘Rudolph nose what’s good for him’.  Remembering to drink eight glasses of water every day is particularly important during the next few weeks because most of us enjoy a tipple other than tap over Christmas!  Hopefully Rudolph will encourage people to keep hydrated during the festive season.”

The water company is also using its Christmas card to donate money to charity.  For every Christmas card printed 50p is going to WaterAid, Northumbrian Water’s adopted international charity. 

WaterAid works to provide clean, safe drinking water, effective sanitation and hygiene education in 17 countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific region, where disease caused by dirty water kills 5,000 children every day.  Just £15 is enough to provide a child with a supply of safe water for life.

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For further information please contact Alison Mosquera on 0191 301 6722.