Children from Coppull have had their artwork unveiled as a vibrant mural during Hate Crime Awareness Week.

As part of a neighbourhood project about hate crime, Chorley Council and PC Ash Gibson from Lancashire Police’s Safer Neighbourhood’s Team came up with the idea of an artwork competition to get local children involved in raising awareness of Hate Crime.

100 entries were received, with 10 winners from Coppull primary schools chosen to have their vibrant designs recreated by local graffiti artist KingSyze Graffiti, on the side of the Springfield pub.

The designs were unveiled on Friday, October 20, followed by a mural to be created at the railway embankment on Spendmore Lane.

Lancashire Telegraph: Executive Member of Chorley Council, Councillor Beverley Murray, said: “This has been a fantastic opportunity to engage with schools and young people in the Coppull community to create positive messages and raise awareness of hate crime.

“We were overwhelmed by the number of entries received. All entries were outstanding, so really difficult to choose the winners.

“The winning entries have helped to create inspirational, vibrant murals in prominent locations within the community so everyone will be able to see these positive messages for the future.

“Thank you to everyone who got involved and congratulations to the winners who have helped to create this vibrant artwork.”

Lancashire Telegraph: The competition was open to children who live or attend school in Coppull, with the entries judged by local ward councillors who chose designs created by children from Coppull St Johns Church of England Primary School, St Oswald’s Catholic primary school, Coppull Parish Primary School and Coppull Primary School.

The winners from all four schools attended the unveiling of the mural along with ward councillors, Councillor Alex Hilton, Councillor Julia Berry, Councillor Ryan Towers, PC Ash Gibson, the Prevent Team and officers from Chorley Council.

On the day of the mural unveiling, two of the schools also took part in a workshop around British heritage and the importance of immigration delivered by PC Ash Gibson from Lancashire Constabulary and the Prevent Team.

PC Gibson said: “Hate crime is any criminal offence which is motivated by prejudice or hostility against a person’s religion, faith, disability, gender identity or sexual orientation.

"Projects like this are really important in helping to raise awareness and telling children that we are committed to tackling all hate crime.

"By reporting incidents to us, we are able us to support the victim, deal with it appropriately, work with our partners to better understand hate crime and ultimately, stop others becoming victims.”