FROME schoolboy, Ted Lewis-Clark, whose winning design won the Royal Mail’s 2017 Christmas Stamp Design Competition, has received a framed copy of his work from Prince Charles at Clarence House.
Ted, who attends Oakfield Academy, can now see his design on the nation’s 1st class Christmas stamps for this year. His ‘Santa Claus on his sleigh on a starry night’ artwork was chosen by the Prince of Wales.
Ted, who has now turned 11 said, “It’s incredible! I couldn’t believe that I had won a competition that had over 200,000 entries. And that now my design will be sent all over the world as the Christmas stamp!
“It was a little nerve-racking at the start, but once Prince Charles came into the room it was so obvious that he was a nice person, that I relaxed immediately.
“I got the idea for my design when I thought about Father Christmas and how he delivers presents to everyone.
“My friends and family were all ridiculously excited. I am most certainly going to send lots of Christmas cards this year and hopefully the stamp will go further than I have ever travelled.”
The winning designs were chosen from over 200,000 entries received from children aged 4-11 years across the UK in response to the question ‘What does the Christmas season mean to you?’
To mark the winner’s success, a special postmark will feature on mail delivered to addresses nationwide. Ted will have his name on the postmark for a week in November with the message: “Ted Lewis-Clark – Winner of Royal Mail’s Christmas Stamp Design Competition.” Ted’s postmarks will feature on mail delivered from 7 November and 14 November, respectively.
This is only the fourth time in the company’s 500-year history that children have designed Christmas stamps.
As with all special stamps issued by Royal Mail, Ted’s winning design was approved by The Queen.
Ted has won £1,000 in vouchers and £1,000 for Oakfield school.
The stamps will be on sale from 7 November and will be available online at www.royalmail.com/christmas 2017 by phone on 03457 641 641 and in 7,000 Post Offices throughout the UK.
