Tour of Britain Land Art Success For Yorkshire Coast Schools

Wednesday, 19 October 2022 15:47

By Matthew Pells

Two Yorkshire Coast schools have been named runners-up in the Tour of Britain's land art competition.

The Tour of Britain passed through the Yorkshire Coast in September with local groups invited to create their own land art along the route to try and gain the attention of the overhead TV cameras.

Three runners-up in the national competition all came from the North Yorkshire section of the AJ Bell Tour of Britain route, with artworks created by the North York Moors National Park and two Heritage Coast Federation schools: Fylingdales C of E Primary school and Hawsker-cum-Stainsacre C of E Primary School.

Helen Thompson, Headteacher of Heritage Coast Federation schools, said:

“We are truly honoured to have been selected as a runner-up for this year's competition as we know that there were lots of amazing entries. Our children absolutely loved creating their designs and learning all about the Tour of Britain, so this result is just the icing on the cake. We would like to say a huge thank you to Fields of Vision for working with our children to turn the designs into a reality. We had a wonderful day with staff, parents and children working together with Fields of Vision to paint both of the fields and we hope that people have enjoyed seeing the finished creations.”

Tom Hind, Chief Executive of the North York Moors National Park Authority, said:

“We were delighted to show our support for the Tour of Britain through our entry to the National Land Art Competition. This year marks 70 years since the North York Moors became a National Park and our design, created by Yorkshire-based company Sand in Your Eye, celebrated our anniversary while capturing the fun and excitement of the Tour itself. With three dedicated cycling centres, the landscapes of the North York Moors have so much to offer riders of all levels, and we hope the event has inspired more people explore the region on two wheels.”

Nottinghamshire creation Spike on a Bike has been revealed as the winner of the AJ Bell Tour of Britain Land Art Competition for 2022.

The Giant hedgehog Spike, who was made from recycled objects including wood, plant pots and bin lids, was spotted riding his bike across the recreation grounds in Keyworth, near the start of the stage five route. The installation also featured in the race’s live TV broadcast, which is available in over 150 countries worldwide.

Mick Bennett, AJ Bell Tour of Britain race director, said:

“It was overwhelming to see how much time and effort that so many people have put into our National Land Art Competition this year, the level of quality of all the entries was brilliant, and it was a challenge to choose just one winner. It was fascinating to learn about community work of Keyworth Hedgehog Highway and being able to share this cause with others fills me with joy.”

Previous winners of the competition are South Molton Farmers, South Molton, Devon (2018), Egerton Park and Walmsley Primary School, Greater Manchester (2019), and Craskins Farm, Queen’s View, Aberdeenshire (2021).

Next year’s race, the 19th edition of the modern Tour, takes place from Sunday 3 to Sunday 10 September. Entries into the competition will open in the summer.