Care home residents’ early festive cheer as they pick Mick Antoniw and Alex Davies-Jones’ Christmas card competition winner

Mick Antoniw, Member of Senedd for Pontypridd, and Pontypridd MP Alex Davies-Jones have teamed up with care home residents to pick the winner of their annual Christmas card competition, now running for its 10th year.

The MS and MP received nearly 100 entries to design their joint Christmas card from primary school pupils in their Pontypridd constituency. The winner of the competition was Tilly Mertens who is in year six at Maesybryn Primary School. 

Tilly was told of her success in a virtual meeting with Mick Antoniw and Alex Davies-Jones and was presented with her prize by Headteacher, Simon Roberts.  Tilly’s design will be printed on the card which will go to constituents, business and organisations in the Pontypridd constituency. The pictures by the two runners up – Elin Stanulewicz, year 6, YGG Llantrisant Blwyddyn, Miskin and Leon Howe, year 6, Llwncrwn Primary School, Beddau will be featured on the reverse of the card.

Mick Antoniw, Member of the Senedd for Pontypridd, said:

“It’s always a popular competition but we decided to do things a little differently this year because of Covid. We chose a theme of ‘key workers at Christmas’ – which has obviously inspired lots of children as we’ve had a really good crop of entries. Congratulations to all those who entered and especially to Tilly on her fantastic design.”

Alex Davies-Jones, MP for Pontypridd, added:

“Instead of judging the entries ourselves we wanted to engage with care home residents in the constituency who have had such a difficult time during the pandemic. So we asked residents of Duffryn Ffrwd Care Home in Nantgarw if they’d judge the winner and runner up for us. It sounds like seeing all the children’s competition entries has really brought some early Christmas cheer to the residents.”

Gemma Wilson, the manager of Duffryn Ffrwd Manor Nursing home in Nantgarw, agreed. She said:

“We were thrilled to be approached by Mick Antoniw and Alex Davies-Jones to ask residents to judge their annual Christmas card competition. It is great for residents to feel they have a connection with the community and it is wonderful for them to see how many imaginative designs the children have come up with. We would like to thank all the children who took part in the competition and let them know that their designs brought smiles to so many of our residents’ faces.”