COMMUNITY PHOTO COMPETITION CROWNS 'INSPIRATIONAL' WINNING IMAGES.
A photo featuring a Jubilee Big Lunch in Oadby, Leicestershire, and an image of a girl enjoying a disability cycling day in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, have won a community photo competition designed to capture on film the country's community spirit.
The Communities in Focus photo competition was launched by Big Lottery Fund, national communications charity Media Trust, and Local World last November and ran on the This is and localpeople websites for four weeks.
The competition had two categories, one for inspiring images of community life, and the other for photos of projects funded by the Big Lottery Fund – the largest distributor of National Lottery funding to good causes. Entries were made via Cam360, specifically designed by Media Trust as a place to share and publish images (mediatrust.org/cam360)
Judges selected 'British Together' by Bonnie Evans Hills, as the winning entry in the community category and 'Zara enjoying the freedom disability cycling day' by Steve Marsden as the most inspiring image of a project funded by Big Lottery Fund making a difference. Each winner receives a Canon D-SLR camera and two places on a Media Trust photography training course.
The winning pictures were chosen after hundreds of entries were reduced to a shortlist of 20 for each category.
Dharmendra Kanani, Big Lottery Fund's England Director, said: "The number and range of entries to the Communities in Focus competition is a reminder of the goodness that resides in communities across England; the images paint a picture of hope, ambition and communities driving change. Out of all the entries the two overall winners - the unity scene in Oadby and Zara, enjoying her day out - stood out and stole our hearts. This is because both of the images reflect communities we all recognise; make us think differently and better about disability and what it is to be part of a diverse society."
Zoe Bowring, Digital Marketing Manager at Local World, said: "Congratulations to the two winners and to all those that entered. It was incredibly difficult picking just two entries from the hundreds we received, but fantastic that so many people felt compelled to enter and show us the positive, fun and inspiring communities they live in."
Gavin Sheppard Marketing Director at Media Trust said: "We couldn't have expected a better snapshot of our country's wonderful community in that magical year of 2012 and we couldn't have asked for a bunch of more engaging and wonderfully shot photographs. Any one of our finalists could have easily been a worthy winner and that's testament to the power of photography to showcase the people of this country at their very best."
The shortlisted entries, 20 for each category, are below. Images available to view at:
Communities In Focus: Inspiring Images Of Community Life.
Communities In Focus: Big Lottery Fund - Shortlisted Entries.
