MEMBERS of an art club at Northampton School for Boys have been flying the flag for a lifestyle store in the town.
They have taken part in a competition organised by Bell of Northampton as part of its 125th anniversary celebrations.
Students were challenged to design a commemorative flag that draws on the store’s heritage but with a modern twist. The top three entries will be produced in real life and fly on the three flagpoles that stand proudly outside the store in Kingsthorpe Road.
The designers each receive Amazon vouchers and the store has made a donation of £200 to the school to spend on a project of its choice.
Winner Wilson Rodgers’ design featured his take on the original 1898 Bell logo on a light blue background. The judges liked the 12-year-old’s clear, non-fussy design and the reference to Gold Street, where the shop was originally located.
Second place went to Monty Whitehead, also 12, who incorporated a Union Flag into his design. Sam Harrison’s third place design featured a gold bell on a red and yellow Northamptonshire flag. The bell also carried a rose of the shires emblem and the number 125.
“Winning this competition feels awesome,” said Wilson. “I have always wanted to do more work with watercolours so used them in my design which was inspired by the first Bell logo. When the flag is up, I will go and have my picture taken with it and use the design in my portfolio.”
Art teacher Emily Clark said: “This competition was really good for the students. It not only gave them a chance to be creative but also the opportunity for them to have their work seen by the wider community outside of school.”
Bell of Northampton has planned a series of events this year to mark its anniversary. Managing director Lee Ferris said: “This year is a big year for us and we wanted to share it with the local community. This competition was a great way to engage with a school in the town and celebrate our anniversary. We were blown away by how good the entries were.”
Picture: Lee Ferris with the three prize winners and their designs.