Luton pupil wins 'Your NHS' art competition

Ten-year-old Johanna Coker's design was chosen from over 230 entries in Luton, she got to meet the Prime Minister and won £500 in art vouchers for her school.

The competition celebrates £99.5 million of government investment to develop a new Acute Services Block at Luton and Dunstable University Hospital.

The competition, supported by the Department of Health and Social Care and Luton and Dunstable University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, invited local primary school children in the area to get creative to mark the £99.5 million investment in a new Acute Services Block at Luton and Dunstable Hospital, which will modernise and improve services for local patients.

Open to all primary schools across Luton, the competition invited children to share their vision for the ideal hospital or healthcare centre of the future.

Johanna’s winning picture was chosen by a panel of expert local judges including senior NHS representatives, after over 230 entries were submitted by schools across Luton.

The judges were really moved by how much love there was in Johanna’s design with hearts everywhere to make staff and patients happy as well as a heartfelt message to the NHS.

Johanna Coker said: “I can’t believe I’ve won the Our NHS art competition. I really love drawing, and it was so much fun imagining what my local hospital could look like in the future.

"The NHS makes me feel safe and loved because it helps all of us so much when we are sick.”

The ten-year-old's entry will take pride of place in the Luton and Dunstable University Hospital, along with all of the designs that were shortlisted as finalists in the area.

Johanna and the nine other finalists across the country travelled to London on Monday, February 24, to share their designs with the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “I was delighted to welcome the young winners of the ‘Your NHS’ art competition to Downing Street.

"Their creative designs and visions for our health service were spectacular.”

Miss McDermott, art co-ordinator at Leagrave Primary School, said: “We are so proud of Johanna, we had amazing entries from across the school and know the standard was high across the region.

"The competition was a great opportunity to get our children thinking about the NHS and I for one, can’t wait to see some of Johanna’s ideas come to fruition in the future!”