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I was only six years old when I won the Blue Peter competition
to have my drawing turned into a boss for York Minster Cathedral.
I was the youngest winner out of the six and the only one from
Scotland. The competition helped to make the awful tragedy of the
fire into something that ended joyfully with a beautiful new transept.
I am now 24 but will always remember the experience as one of
the most magical experiences of my life.
We all had to pick a subject to draw which highlighted the 20th
Century so I picked the first man on the moon.
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| Rebecca's
boss design |
I drew it on a grotty old piece of scrap paper and asked my parents
to send it in. My mum asked me to redo it on nice paper but I remember
refusing and saying - 'No, just send it!'
The Dean of York told my parents later there was just something
about the little spaceman that made him smile and he had to vote
for it.
I drew a box on the spaceman's suit and when I met the Queen and
Blue Peter presenters later they all laughed when I told him it
was for his sandwiches in case he got hungry on the moon!
I have been down to York on various occasions since and still feel
very proud to look up and see my boss and to have it in such a beautiful
Cathedral. It is an amazing thought that it will still be up there
in hundreds of years to come for my great great great grandchildren
to see.
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| The
Blue Peter winners look up at the finished ceiling with Rebecca
front right. |
We still keep in touch with Nick Quayle who carved my drawing into
the boss. He and the others did a magnificent job and even presented
us each with a miniature boss to keep. This still takes pride of
place in my family home for everyone to admire.
It was a wonderful experience and one that I will never forget.
Although I am now in Australia, far from my Glasgow home, I send
my very best wishes to the Minster, people of York, Blue Peter team
and fellow winners.
Rebecca-Rose Welsh
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