Virginia Primary School in Tower Hamlets, part of the LETTA trust, is incredibly proud of two of its Year 6 pupils, who won an art competition to design the paper used by the local flower market traders to wrap bouquets.
The two Virginia Primary pupils, Rachel and Zaki, were winner and runner-up in the Love Columbia Road School Design Competition.
For the competition, local schoolchildren were invited to create artwork that would be printed on the paper used by traders at the famous Columbia Road Flower Market to wrap bouquets sold at the market on Mother’s Day and beyond.
As winner, Rachel received a certificate, a plant and a £30 voucher to buy a bouquet from one of the market’s traders. Her design is now being used on flower wraps across the market.
Zaki also received a certificate and a plant wrapped in his own design, which will also be used by traders to wrap bouquets.
The competition was organised by Tower Hamlets Council and the entries were judged by the famous illustrator Quentin Blake, who illustrated books such as Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
As part of his support for the competition, Mr Blake donated five books, all illustrated by him, to Virginia Primary’s school library.
The school is very grateful to Tower Hamets Council for running the competition and to Quentin Blake for giving the school five of his books for the pupils to enjoy.
Columbia Road Flower Market was recently recognised as Best Market Attraction 2026 at the Great British Markets Awards, organised by the National Association of British Market Authorities.
