Young Design winners announced at DesignEd in Cornwall

Award-winning young and enterprising innovators of the future from across the county, proved they also know how to design a good weekend, by pitching their tents at the Glastonbury Festival as they were being announced the winners at the second annual DesignEd in Cornwall competition on Thursday 25 June, hosted at the Design Centre at University College Falmouth.

This ground-breaking joint initiative attracted a record number of design and technology projects from more than 350 students from 28 schools and Higher Education colleges from across Cornwall as a showcase for their innovative and pioneering ideas.

DesignEd in Cornwall originated through a partnership between Richard Scott, Design & Technology Team Leader/Advanced Skills Teacher at Richard Lander School, who had the idea of creating a large-scale competition and exhibition of design and technology projects, and John Miller, UCF's Director of the School of Design, who has worked closely with Richard to turn his original idea into a reality.

To support and encourage the next generation of would-be designers and trendsetters, DesignEd in Cornwall received strong support from the region's business community - Truro Fabrics; Ladds Concrete Products; Rowe's the Bakers; Gendall Design; Newquay Cornwall Airport; and The Midas Group - who sponsored prizes in the following categories: Textiles and Fashion; Product Design; Food Technology; Graphics; Technology and Best GCSE and Best Post-16 Project.

They also supported seven new supplementary awards that were introduced this year to highlight the diverse creative aspects of design in the 21^st century ranging from Most Marketable Product; Best Sustainability Project; Most Innovative Project; Best Craftsmanship; Best School Presentation and a Public Choice Award.

The winners are - Textiles & Fashion and Best GCSE Project: Hannah Conway of Looe Community School for her Radical Fashion dress; Product Design and Most Innovative Project: Danny Martin of Richard Lander School for his contemporary guitar with integral amplifier; Food Technology: Sophie Pearn of Redruth School for her special occasion fair-trade dessert; Graphics: Jamie Rickett of Truro College for his Excavate Project; Best Post-16 Project: Nick Coleing of Budehaven Community School for his ergonomic chair; Most Marketable Project: Charlie Green of Saltash Community School for his sun lounger; Best Craftsmanship: Travis Hughs of Cornwall College for his curved lid trinket box; Best Sustainability Project: Natasha Richards of Richard Lander School for her ‘Naturalised' rabbit warren; Technology: Melody Jones of Truro College for her Offshore tidal energy centre; Best School Presentation went to Richard Lander School and the Public Choice Award went to Dom Hall of Wadebridge School.

Jamie Rickett was amazed to have won his category and said: "I am really happy to receive this award and would like to say a big thank you to Doug for all the hours he put in helping the group. I am looking forward to joining UCF's Foundation Diploma later this year to develop my ideas further."

Guest of Honour this year was Dan Parry-Williams, Chief Designer for MacLaren Automotive who was impressed by the innovative designs on show and shared his experience of the fast-paced world of design. "Good design is always challenging and continuously stimulating, and your first idea isn't necessarily the best one," said Dan. "As all the winners here know, really good design doesn't come easily, it takes time, patience and hard work - which is something that is very evident in the work on display and for which you should all be very proud."

The unenviable task of judging the entries this year fell to UCF Director of Design, John Miller; Course Leader for BA(Hons) Textile Design, Di Downs; Course Leader for BA(Hons) Garden, Spatial and Interior Design, Richard Sneesby; Course Leader for BA(Hons) Fashion Design, Jane Gottelier; Senior Lecturer on BA(Hons) 3D Design, Yorick Benjamin; Senior Lecturer on BA(Hons) Graphic Design, Mafalda Spencer; Course Leader on BA(Hons) Garden, Spatial and Interior Design, Caroline Pullee; Creative Director for Gendall Design, Daren Whittington; Project Director for Newquay Cornwall Airport, Chris Cain; Manager of Truro Fabrics, Louise Baker; Business Development Manager, Martin Walton on behalf of The Midas Group and David Prest, County Advisor for Design and Technology and manager of the Design and Making Centre, a one-stop shop for design and technology materials.

Each of the winners was awarded a £50 cheque and a Winners Certificate with Richard Lander School scooping the award for Best School Presentation and receiving a £200 cheque.

"Design is the second fastest growing sector in the UK and this event is all about encouraging and celebrating design in Cornwall," said John Miller. "The support and encouragement the students receive from their teachers is inspirational and in turn, provides a solid foundation for the students to build on." He continued, "Design today is no longer just about designing and producing a functional item, it's about how we interact with design in our everyday lives and this event confirms the value of design excellence to the county's creative economy."

There were also a number of Highly Commended certificates awarded in the following categories: Textiles & Fashion: Amy Osborne of Budehaven Community School and Clare Thomas of Hayle School; Product Design: Wendy Mathews of Richard Lander School; Food Technology: Leah Wolfenden and Keziah Rose, both of Cape Cornwall School; Graphics: Tom Duddle of Richard Lander School and Pippa Alston of Mullion School; Technology: Lawrence Hendra of Penair School and Kit Leahman of St Ives School; Innovation: Lauren Warne of Saltash Community School; Most Marketable Project: Joe Clayton-Johns of Mullion School; Best Craftsmanship: John Staddon of Cornwall College and Dom Hall of Wadebridge School; Best Sustainability Project: Tamsin Tan of Redruth School; and Best School Presentation to Mullion, Camborne and St Ives Schools.

For further information about DesignEd in Cornwall, please visit www.designedincornwall.co.uk

For further information about Design Courses at University College Falmouth, visit www.falmouth.ac.uk/design, email admissions@falmouth.ac.uk or telephone Admissions on 01326 213730.

University College Falmouth is the only independent Higher Education institution in Cornwall with the powers to award degrees in its own name. It has two campuses in Cornwall - at Woodlane in Falmouth and Tremough in Penryn (which it owns, and jointly manages with the University of Exeter) - and a third campus at Totnes in Devon, following its merger with Dartington College of Arts in 2008.

This merger created a new institution focusing on the expansion of Falmouth's expertise in Art, Design and Media and Dartington's expertise in Choreography, Music, Theatre, Art and Writing. The Devon-based courses will relocate to a new, high-specification Performance Centre at Tremough in 2010, paving the way for a new specialist Arts University in Cornwall by 2012, that will be unique to the South West.

The College is a founding partner in the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC), a unique initiative to promote regional economic regeneration through Higher Education, funded mainly by the European Union, the South West Regional Development Agency, and the Higher Education Funding Council for England, with support from Cornwall County Council.

Ends

For further information about University College Falmouth, please contact Jilly Easterby MCIPR, Head of Public Affairs, Telephone: 01326 213792; or email: jilly.easterby@falmouth.ac.uk

Notes to Editors:

Quote from Natasha Richardson, winner of the Best Sustainability project, sponsored by Rowe's the bakers. "I am really proud to receive this award because sustainability was the whole point of my product. I really want to thank my tutor, Mr Scott, because he was very supportive and gave me the drive to keep developing my ideas."

Quote from Travis Hughs, winner of the Best Craftsmanship prize sponsored by Ladds Concrete Products: "I would rather be here than at Glastonbury! I feel very proud to have received this award and would like to thank my tutors, Richard Buckingham and Owen Harris. I hope to further my work by taking private commissions."

The following schools submitted work from across Cornwall:

Bodmin College - Budehaven Community School - Camborne School - Cape Cornwall School - Cornwall College - Falmouth School - Hayle School - Helston School - Humphry Davy School - Launceston College - Looe Community School - Mounts Bay School - Mullion School - Newquay Tretherass - Penair School - Penrice Community College - Penryn School - Poltair, Pool School - Redruth School - Richard Lander School - Roseland School - Saltash Community School - St Ives School - The Bolitho School - Truro College - Truro High School - Wadebridge School

Sponsors:

The Midas Group sponsoring Best School Presentation
Midas Group is one of the largest independent property services group in the UK. Midas has offices throughout the South West region and South Wales across its specialisms: Construction, Retail, Interiors, Affordable Housing and Developments. Midas continues to, work in long term relationships, exceeding the expectations of customers and demonstrating industry leading performance

Quote from Martin Walton, Business Development Manager, Midas Group:
"Continuing our successful partnership with UCF through the Midas Awards for Fine Art Graduates, Midas are delighted to be involved with this new award which we hope will encourage and empower local students to showcase their exciting and unique talents to a new audience."

Newquay Cornwall Airport sponsoring Technology, Most Innovative Project, Best Post-16 Project and the Public Choice Award

Cornwall has been connected to other parts of the world for nearly 7 decades from Newquay/St Mawgan Airfield with the very first domestic flight taking place in 1934; however Newquay Airport wasn't known until 30 years later. On the 1^st April 2007 Cornwall Airport Limited assumed operational management of Newquay Cornwall Airport and is responsible for all areas of airport operations.

Quote from Chris Cain, Project Director for Newquay Cornwall Airport:
"We are proud to sponsor such a great event showcasing the talents of young Cornish school students. The Airport is not just about allowing people to travel for business and pleasure, it is about creating a new sector for the Cornish economy - providing a wide range of exciting careers within the county."

Gendall Design Ltd sponsoring Graphics and Best GCSE Project

Gendall Design Ltd are one of the leading brand and digital communication agencies in the South West. The company was founded in Cornwall in 1986 by Tessa Gendall and has grown steadily to its current team capability with consultants, brand, website and graphic designers, production artworkers, website programmers, project managers and administrators.

Rowe's the Bakers sponsoring Food Technology and Best Sustainability Project
Rowe's is an award winning food manufacturer and retailer. The business began in 1949 when Bill Rowe set up his bakery and shop in Swanpool Street, Falmouth, making bread, pasties, cakes and confectionery. Today the company has seventeen retail outlets throughout Cornwall and Devon and supplies all of the major multiples nationally and regionally, as well as many independent retailers. Rowe's is proudly Cornish and all of its products are made from Cornish ingredients wherever possible.

Ladds Concrete Products sponsoring Product Design and Best Craftsmanship
With over 30 years experience in the manufacture of concrete products, Ladds can make a variety of products in an assortment of colours and quantities from kerbs, paving, edging, lintels, copings, cills, heads, string course, padstones and staircases to bespoke products and Wonder Walling.

Truro Fabrics sponsoring Textiles and Fashion and Most Marketable Project
Founded in 1984 by Rob Millbank, a fabric market trader, Truro Fabrics is now the largest fabric shop in England. It stocks between 9,000 and 11,000 dress fabrics at any one time and offers a bespoke and highly experienced service by its staff, who are enthusiastic dressmakers, knitters, interior designers, decorators, jewellery makers and fabric enthusiasts.

Tweet