Emily is a champion of road safety

Published: Thursday 30 January 2025

Councillor Margaret Cowie presents Emily Findlay, P6 at Castlefield PS, East Kilbride, with her trophy for winning the Road Safety Calendar Competition for 2024-25.

The winner of the council’s Road Safety Calendar Competition has been announced.

Emily Findlay’s entry reminds pedestrians to keep themselves clear and visible – and it is the same qualities in her design that make it so effective in conveying that message.

The design by the P6 pupil from East Kilbride’s Castlefield PS is centred on her slogan, Don’t walk in between, walk where you can be seen, and features on the 2025 calendars that are being distributed across all South Lanarkshire schools.

Emily’s prize includes £100, an individual trophy and the school being presented with the Road Safety Calendar School Trophy that they can exhibit during the year ahead.

Emily said: “Making sure that we are able to be seen was just an idea that seemed really important to me so I tried to show that the best I could.

“I can’t believe I was the winner and I’m so excited about it, and I hope it helps other people to be safe when they’re crossing the road.”

All South Lanarkshire schools are invited to take part in the annual competition by the council’s Traffic and Transportation Section, and this year it received 2288 entries from 79 schools.

Emily was presented with her prize by Councillor Margaret Cowie, Depute Chair of the council’s Road Safety Forum, who said: “The standard of entries was incredibly high this year, so huge congratulations to Emily for being chosen as the winner. Her design gives a very important message in an extremely effective way, so she thoroughly deserves to be this year’s champion.

“I would like to thank all the schools for their support to ensuring the continuing success of the competition in attracting entries and raising awareness of some vital issues and all the pupils who contributed such amazing standards of designs. Being safe on the roads is one of the most important things we can learn and all of those who entered are helping themselves and other children to take on that lesson and carry it through their lives.”

As well as Emily receiving the overall prize, prize money was won for first, second and third places in each year group, and Highly Commended certificates were also given to pupils whose artwork or road-safety message was creative and eye-catching.

All of the winning illustrations can be found on the council’s website.