Landscape conservation charity Friends of the Lake District, which celebrates its 90^th birthday this year, has launched a poster competition for children and young people to bring to life their vision for the future of Cumbria’s landscapes. 

Friends of the Lake District started at a public rally in Fitz Park, Keswick in June 1934 when a group of passionate people launched an association with the aim of protecting the beauty and traditions of the landscape, while ensuring the public had access to it. They also began to campaign for the Lake District’s status as a national park which resulted in the creation of the Lake District National Park in 1951.

To celebrate its birthday, the charity is asking children and young people to design a poster to show how they think the landscape should look in the future: What are their hopes for the future? What would they want these landscapes to look like when they are 90 years old?

Budding artists can design a poster for one place that is special to them – like the area where they live or a place in Cumbria that they like to visit. Or they could think about a vision for the future of the whole Lake District National Park or Cumbria itself.

Chief Executive of Friends of the Lake District, Michael Hill, said: “As part of our birthday we want to develop a vision for the future of Cumbrian landscapes.  But this vision should belong to the people who will love and care for these places in the future, that’s why we’re asking children to help us. We can’t wait to see their ideas.”

Entries are split into three age categories: ages 5-7, ages 8-11 and over 12s. Winners will receive tickets to either the World of Beatrix Potter or Eskdale Mill, goodie bags and they’ll have their posters printed in the Friends of the Lake District membership magazine. The charity also hopes to use some of the artwork in the future, both promoting the young artists and helping to raise money for the charity to continue its work.

More information and an entry form are available from www.friendsofthelakedistrict.org.uk/poster-competition. 

The closing date for entries is Friday 30 August.