MP DELIGHTED WITH SCHOOL'S PAINTING COMPETITION ENTRY

1.47.41pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 20th Oct 2008

Paul Keetch MP with Year Four Pupils at St Francis Xavier's RC Primary School

Local Lib Dem MP Paul Keetch has today visited St Francis Xavier's RC Primary School in Hereford where Year 4 pupils have taken part in a painting competition as part of the EU Year of Intercultural Dialogue.

The MP invited local primary schools to send in their nominations to go through to the national competition. Of all the entries received the piece entitled 'Separate Colours - One Painting' by the children at St Francis Xavier's was judged by a local panel to be the overall favourite.

On visiting the school and passing the good news on to the children, Paul Keetch told them, "I will be taking your painting with me to London where the next level of the competition will be judged by a celebrity panel including Dame Kelly Holmes. The overall winners of the competition will be invited to a presentation ceremony in London and their painting will be re-printed in an international booklet."

The pupils were excited by the news and when asked about their inspiration for the painting they explained to the MP that the coloured blocks represent each of the EU member countries and the wavy lines join one block to another to show how all of the countries are united.

On the school's participation the MP commented, "Intercultural dialogue has an increasingly important role to play in fostering European identity and citizenship. I am delighted that St Francis Xavier's school, along with others in the constituency, embraced the opportunity to take part in the competition and in so doing were able to learn more about EU culture and countries.

I am looking forward to seeing how the entry fares in the national judging and will certainly share any good news with the children."

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