During the summer term last year, Banbridge Academy’s Art Department took part in a nationwide competition run by the Royal Mail.  They opened a design competition to schools and pupils across the UK to create a series of stamps dedicated to “Covid Heroes” and as a school, Banbridge Academy entered over 350 designs into the competition.

From across the UK a total of 120 finalists were chosen, including one of the Academy’s Year 11 pupil’s, Cadey-Lee Jess, who was selected as a Regional Finalist and one of the top ten in Northern Ireland.  Cadey-Lee is now guaranteed a prize as is the school.

An incredible 606,049 entries were received from children across the UK, with an astounding 7,479 schools taking part.  The Academy students’ designs also contributed towards a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the largest postage stamp design competition.

From the 120 Regional Finalists, a special panel of judges will now determine the winning 24 regional designs and these will be announced in November.  From these 24 entries, the ultimate 8 winning images will be chosen as official Royal Mail stamps and will be signed off by Her Majesty The Queen.  They will then appear on millions of items of mail across the UK when they are issued in the Spring of 2022.

Everyone in the Academy congratulated Cadey-Lee on this amazing achievement and looks forward to the final result in November with great anticipation.