Ref. 27843-06A competition to identify some of Swindon favourite places has proved to be a big hit. BHAVANI VADDE casts an eye over some of the winning entries

COATE Water has come out on top in the Swindon Civic Trust competition to find Swindon's favourite place.

The winning entry was a creation by six-year-old Holly May, who attends Covingham Park Infant School.

And she wasn't the only pupil at her school to taste success in the competition.

Around 100 of her school friends scooped the prize for best group entry.

Each child drew a picture of the place they liked best and then mounted them on a multi-coloured wall.

Their depictions ranged from Lydiard Park, the water fountains at Asda Wal-Mart, Jolly Roger's indoor play area, McDonalds burger cafe and Covingham Park.

Headteacher Moyra Holmes, said: "The competition provided us with an opportunity to focus on our environment and how it makes us happy.

"Some children quite naturally were excited about certain shops that sold their favourite toys, others by venues in which they could party and have fun.

"Some children focused on the more aesthetic and cultural."

The Swindon Civic Trust, which was formed 18 months ago, invited people to convey their favourite place through a piece of writing, artwork or film.

Its chairman John Monniot said: "The purpose of this competition is not only to find the favourite place in Swindon but to encourage people to think positively about the town.

"There was a lot of passion and imagination put into the entries, particularly the ones that were chosen.

"We were trying to raise the spirits of people in Swindon about their own town. We want people to think there are nice places in the town so they aspire for better in the future.

"The heritage in our town has not been looked after very well.

"We hope for a high quality town centre and see more people living there as well as working there."

There were 60 entries,as well as the one entry with 100 pictures.

"We were bowled over with the volume.

"We are casting around for ideas of how to run it next year," Mr Monniot added.

The competition was judged by the Evening Advertiser's deputy editor Pauline Leighton, Shelley Keen, presenter at BBC Radio Swindon, and Peter Andrews, chief executive of the New Swindon Company, which has been tasked with regenerating the town centre.

Mr Andrews said the standard of entries was very high and it was difficult to choose the winner.

"We would support the Civic trust in trying to develop higher quality architecture and environment."

The entries will be on display at the former railway museum in Faringdon Road for another week.

Here is a full list of the competition winners:

Individual category

Winner Holly May, six, from Covingham Park Infant School, did a collage of Coate Water

Second Prize Amy Binding, 11, from Ridgeway School, featured Mannington Recreation Ground

Joint third prize Mike Hollister, 64, for his video of Boy on a Bike at Coate Water.

John Newman, 63, for his series of photographs of buildings in Old Town.

Group Cateegory

Winner Covingham Park Infant School for a model containing 100 different favourite places.

The Davis-Bowles Family from Covingham for their collage of Lydiard House and Park

Anyone interested in joining the Civic trust should call 01793 520592 or email membership@swindoncivictrust.co.uk

Holly is a hit with the judges

HOLLY May loves feeding the ducks in Coate Water park. It is a place her family visit nearly every other weekend.

The six-year-old, of Robinsgreen, Covingham, created an aerial view of the park, including the lake, the swimming pool, the bridge trees and flowers.

She then turned it into a collage by sticking bits of twigs, tissue paper and wool.

"I am happy I have won," she said.

Her dad Chris, 37, a manager at WH Smith, said: "I was shocked when I found out but I am really proud of her.

"We spend a lot of time in the park. I play golf while they go of walking.

"I have lived here all my life and I think Swindon is great.

"People are always calling it a concrete jungle but there are so many green areas nearby.

"Anything that puts the town in a god light is great."

Mum Carolyn, 36, said: "I am really flabbergasted when I found out.

It is the first thing she has won. She loves art, she draws all the time and goes to the art club after school.

"And she loves Coate Water as well. She enjoys the fresh air, the greenery and the swimming pool in the summer."

The family's other favourite spot in Swindon is Lydiard Park.

There's no place like home

AMATEUR photographer John Newman said his favourite place in Swindon is just outside his front door.

He has taken a series of 12 photographs of places within a few hundred yards of his house in Bath Road.

A couple of them are even of his own property such as his front door and garden.

Mr Newman, 63, said: "I subscribe to the view that there's no place like home, and the area around it is my favourite place.

"My uncle got me interested in amateur photography as a child and it has been a hobby ever since.

"I am delighted to have won a prize in the competition.

"I am very pro Civic Trust, I think it is an excellent organisation.

"I think it is a scandal that Swindon should be so neglectful of nice buildings like the Mechanics Institute and the Locarno ballroom."