Entry is now open for a children’s art competition designed to promote creativity, literacy and healthy eating.

The Perfect Packed Lunch Awards aims to get primary school children’s creative and culinary juices flowing by using drawing and writing skills to design their ideal lunchbox contents.

Children draw pictures of their meals and give a written description of the ingredients and recipes to explain what makes them so special. Entrants choose a category for their creations from the following options: Superhero, Princess, Pirate Captain, Famous Artist, Knight, Book Character, Celebrity, Healthy, Cheesy, Fantasy, Fairytale, and Historic.

The competition offers a wonderful opportunity for budding young artists, with the shortlisted entrants having their work put on public display at one of the county’s premier exhibition spaces ‑ the Beaney House of Art and Knowledge in Canterbury.

The venue will also host the competition final to reveal the overall Perfect Packed Lunch Awards Champion 2018.

Event organiser Sophie Wallace said: “This is a great and fun way to inspire children to think about healthy eating while also practising their literacy and art skills. It’s brilliant in the way it generates cross-curricular benefits.

“We always get some genius ideas; children really let their imagination roam. I urge schools to get behind this competition.”

Last year’s overall winner was winner Ayanna Smith from Borden CofE Primary School in Sittingbourne, who created a Harry Potter-inspired witch’s brew containing frogs’ legs, crusty worms, mice feet, and slug slime.

She received a gift basket of art goodies donated by competition supporter Cowling and Wilcox.

The Canterbury art supplies shop is involved again this year, and any other businesses that would like to help the competition by donating time, prizes or any other support should contact Sophie by emailing swallace@thekmgroup.co.uk or calling 0844 264 0291.

Find out more and submit entries at www.PerfectPackedLunch.org.uk