Portsmouth Diocese's meaning of Easter competition winners

(L to R) Freddie North, Abigail Tuttle, Dexter Hammersley, Tom Bonnar, Henry Bender and Jessica Comley

Portsmouth Diocese has handed out Real Easter Eggs to the eight youngsters who best captured the meaning of Easter in words and pictures.

Children and young people from parishes and schools across the diocese were challenged to write 100 words or draw a picture explaining the meaning of Easter.

There were two categories, under 11s and 11 to 18-year-olds.

The winners are: Freddie North, eight, from Greatham and Dexter Hammersley, nine, from Bordon (pictures from children aged under 11), Henry Bender, 10, from Havant and Tom Bonnar, 10, from Lee-on-the-Solent (words by children aged under 11).

And Ava Spencer, 11, a pupil at St Alban's Primary School in West Leigh and Jessica Comley, 11, from Hambledon (pictures from children aged 11-18), Lily Gray, 11, from Emsworth and Abigail Tuttle, 11, from Hayling Island (words by children aged 11-18).

Dexter said he ran around his house "like mad" when he discovered he had won.

"I really enjoy drawing," he says. "I wasn't sure what to draw at first, the cross or the tomb. The rest of my friends were drawing the cross. I thought the tomb would be more of a challenge and I like a challenge so I thought I would try that."

Jessica Comley's winning entry

Freddie's favourite subject is art, so it wasn't difficult for him to choose which category he wanted to enter.

"I had some new paints and all of the colours had run out apart from the orange which I used for the background and the black which I used for the cross," he said.

"I wanted to make my picture stand out more so I used black tape for the outside."

Henry wanted people to know that Easter was about more than just chocolate eggs.

"I don't go to church that often but I wanted to tell people that I do like Jesus even though I don't go to church that much," he said.

"Easter isn't just about chocolate. It is about what our Saviour did. He died for us because he loves us and then came back to life again."

Abigail wanted to include the events of Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday in her story.

"I found it quite difficult trying to get everything in because the Easter story is quite long," she said.

"I wanted people to know how the crowd had changed. On Palm Sunday, the crowds were praising and bowing down to Jesus, but just a few days later he was crucified. It is quite a big change. I was quite a few words over the limit to start off with so I had to cut some out.

"When I found out I had won I was really surprised because I didn't think I would."

The Real Easter Eggs are the only chocolate eggs on sale in British supermarkets explaining the Christian story on the box.

The children were presented with their Real Easter Eggs at Portsmouth Cathedral by Canon David Isaac, the head of mission and discipleship in our diocese.

To see all the winning entries, visit http://portsmouth.anglican.org/news_and_dates/competition_winners_announced/