A CREATIVE Worcester girl has won a competition to design the cover of the Christmas edition of The Big Issue.
Gabriela’s design, based around this year’s theme of ‘Christmas Wish’ shows Santa delivering houses to homeless people from his sleigh as a way to ease the UK’s accommodation crisis.
The seven-year-old also came up with the concept of the ‘Shrink Vay’ gadget which makes the houses small enough to fit into his sack for easy transportation before becoming life-size again when the homeless need them.
Gabriela’s design was chosen from hundreds of entries in The Big Issue’s Kids Christmas Cover Competition 2021 which was run in association with WHSmith.
And the issue featuring her design is now being sold by vendors across the UK.
Since the first competition in 2013, The Big Issue has seen thousands of bright entries from young readers. The winning images have lifted the spirits of customers and boosted sales.
Gabriela said she felt ‘very happy’ to have her drawing on the cover and came up with the idea by herself.
She, who enjoys art and ‘loves to scribble’ could not wait to go into her school – Broadheath CE Primary School and Pre-School to tell her teacher Mrs Jones about her success.
And she added she wanted to wish all Big Issue vendors a ‘very merry Christmas’.
Gabriela isn’t the only artist in her family, the judges were also very impressed by her sister, Isabella’s entry. She and Isabella, 10, both entered the competition, and their mother Ana has been proudly displaying their entries in the front window of their home.
Ana said: “It’s fantastic, I’m really thrilled, and she had a big smile when telling daddy about the competition.
“I think the whole school will be very proud of her as we are a small school in the Worcester countryside.”
Ana worked at M&S in Worcester before the pandemic, and along with both her daughters, would buy The Big Issue from the vendor who used to sell at a pitch outside the shop, so the girls were aware of issues of homelessness.
Ana added: “This lady worked very hard and for me it felt impossible not to share a few treats with her sometimes.”
Paul McNamee, Editor of The Big Issue, said: “Every year, the Kids Christmas cover competition is something that everybody at The Big Issue looks forward to.
“The ideas and the joy bouncing off the pages lifts us all.
“This year, the theme of ‘Christmas Wish’ brought brilliant ideas.
“It’s always the trickiest of decisions to pick just one winner from the hundreds and hundreds, but Gabriela’s Santa delivering homes to those in need was so direct, glorious and simple, it had to be her.”
Sean Toal, MD at WHSmith High Street, said: “As part of our sustainability strategy, WHSmith is committed to making a positive difference as we continue on our journey to a better business, and we are therefore delighted to be partnering with the Big Issue on this year’s Christmas kids cover competition.
“Huge congratulations go to Gabriela Beard for the brilliant winning cover, and to the runners up for their fantastic designs – we’ll be sending some very special prizes of WHSmith goodies to both Gabriela and the runners up. And a big thank you and well done to all who entered!”
People are being urged to help the homeless by buying a copy of the Christmas issue, featuring Gabriela’s design, from their local vendor or by visiting bigissue.co.uk/subscribe
