YES she Kane! Meet talented Libby Kane, the winner of this year’s Irish Sun Barnardos colouring competition.
Artistic Libby, eight, wowed the judges with her colourful and imaginative interpretation of illustrator Chris Judge’s delightful drawing.
Libbie’s family were thrilled with her win[/caption]
Libby, from Ardee, Co. Louth, beat hordes of entries from all over Ireland, all hoping to be in with a chance of bagging the top prize, a once-in-a-lifetime trip for a family of four to Lapland, courtesy of sponsors Sunway.
A thrilled Libby said: “Oh my God, I can’t believe it, I am so excited. Can I tell my friends?”
Libby’s proud mum Grainne, 44, dad Patrick, 45, and big brother Zach, 14, told of their joy at Libby’s big win.
Grainne said: “We are super proud of Libby and her hard work. After receiving the call from Barnardos we spent the evening ringing family and friends. I love the way she matches different colours.”
Colouring queen Libby has previously won sports equipment for her school through a competition.
This time around her Nanny Rosie sent her on the Irish Sun Barnardos’ Big Toddle comp and asked her to give it a go.
Grainne said: “Libby spent lots of time colouring it in across a couple of weeks.
“She was with me when we received the call from Alison from Barnardos to let us know Libby had won.
“Libby was super excited, as are we all. It’s a dream come true.”
Now the Kane family are gearing up for the magical Enchanted Escape Sunway package which includes unforgettable activities such as husky sled rides, snowmobiling and reindeer sleigh journeys through the wilderness and of course the highlight – meeting Santa in his cosy, traditional cabin.
This year’s Big Toddle theme is Little Heroes and Dublin’s Q102 star Kathryn Thomas and her own little hero, daughter Grace, three, were on hand to help kick off our annual comp in May.
The winner was selected by Barnardos, Sunway and the Irish Sun.
Alison Kelly, Head of Events at Barnardos, said: “We were absolutely blown away by the talent and creativity on display in this year’s Big Toddle colouring competition with The Irish Sun and Sunway.
“Such a high standard certainly made our judging very difficult!
“Libby’s winning picture did stand out to us though with her bright colours, intricate details and sticker embellishments – that was a really sweet touch.
MAGICAL MOMENT
“We could see how much effort Libby had put into her picture, so it was a perfect match for a prize as special as a trip to meet Santa!
“It’s definitely one of the highlights of my year to pick up the phone and tell a child they’ve won a trip to Lapland.
“The excitement in their voice, the squeals – it’s a moment of magic for the whole family.
“I’d like to say a huge thank you to the team at The Irish Sun and to our wonderful competition sponsor, Sunway, for their continued support and generosity.
“We’re so proud to help create memories that will last a lifetime. Because childhood lasts a lifetime.”
‘INCREDIBLE TALENT’
Irish Sun Editor Fiona Wynne added: “We were absolutely overwhelmed by the incredible talent on display this year.
“However, Libby’s entry truly captured our hearts. Her imaginative use of colour and the sheer joy that radiated from her artwork made her stand out.
“It was a beautiful piece that perfectly embodied the spirit of the competition, and she is a very deserving winner.”
This year’s judges had their work cut out for them picking a winner[/caption]
