Hallmark Cards photography competition unveils what motherhood means to the UK public
The true picture of motherhood in the UK today has been revealed by Hallmark Cards and a panel of expert judges for Mother’s Day 2010.
The striking photograph claimed first place in a nationwide search by Hallmark Cards to capture what motherhood means to people in the UK in 2010. The winner, Jenny Downing (59) will now have her image placed on a Hallmark card which will be sold through the company’s online personalised card service www.hallmark.co.uk.
The Picture of Motherhood photography competition was launched by Hallmark Cards with Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen as part of its Cards for a Cure™ campaign for Mother’s Day 2010. Open to everyone, the UK public was urged to get creative and capture the perfect image which expressed what motherhood means to them.
Jenny Downing was named over 18s winner in the competition by celebrity judge, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, and an expert judging panel which included Greg Hobson, curator of photography at the National Media Museum, at a special event at Salts Mill gallery in Bradford on 8th March. Alice Curtis (14) was named under 18s winner in the competition. All 12 finalists will have their images exhibited at the gallery until 15th March 2010.
Alice Curtis
Jenny Downing commented: “I took this photo in India where I was working a few years ago, it depicts the natural instinct for a mother to protect her child.
“In the image she is putting a hat on her child to protect them from the sun. This encapsulates motherhood for me.”
Both winners will also receive £1,000 worth of photography equipment to help hone their photography skills further.
Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, who formed part of the expert judging panel, said of the winners: “Both Jenny and Alice stood out as clear winners in their categories and we all agreed that their shots both captured and celebrated motherhood in its purest form, which is exactly what the competition was about.
“We were extremely impressed with the number and calibre of entries that we received and it was a tough job short listing the final 12. It certainly shows that there is a lot of creativity out there in the UK and that motherhood is a subject that people are very passionate about.
Jenny and Laurence (2) (2)
“I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone to take part and encourage more people to get in touch with their creative side by looking at the world around them and being inspired.”
Due to the high quality of submissions, three additional shortlisted entries will also have their final images printed onto a Hallmark Card.
Hallmark Cards annually contributes £1/4 million to Breast Cancer Campaign and Action Breast Cancer, a programme of the Irish Cancer Society, as part of its Cards for a Cure™ campaign for Mothers Day. Now in its fourth year, Hallmark has donated £1 million since 2007. The money is contributed independent of card sales and is used to fund vital breast cancer research at centres across the UK and Ireland.
For more information visit www.hallmark.co.uk
ENDS
For further details and photography please contact:
Rebecca Lynch / Louise Woodward / Tori Lillie / Katie Scoggins at Lucre
T: 0113 243 1117
E: hallmark@lucre.co.uk
Editor’s notes:
Hallmark
Established in the UK in 1958, Hallmark Cards is the UK’s leading greeting card publisher. As well as greeting cards, Hallmark also produces related products such as wrapping paper, gift bags, social stationery, and gift products.
Breast Cancer Campaign
Breast Cancer Campaign’s mission is to beat breast cancer by funding innovative world-class research to understand how breast cancer develops, leading to improved diagnosis, treatment, prevention and cure. It aims to be the leading specialist in breast cancer research across the UK and the Republic of Ireland, making a significant impact on breast cancer for the benefit of patients.
www.breastcancercampaign.org
Action Breast Cancer
Action Breast Cancer, a programme of the Irish Cancer Society, is Ireland’s leading provider of breast cancer information and support. Each year we reach over 25,000 women who are concerned about breast cancer and breast health. We strive to ensure that everyone affected by breast cancer receives the highest standards of treatment, support and care, and to improve the quality of life of people living with breast cancer.
