Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway and Ullswater ‘Steamers’ are inviting youngsters in Cumbria, Lancashire and the North East to get creative and design a brand new t-shirt for their cuddly mascots Ratty and Sammy, in a competition which will see the winning designs being created.
The two much loved heritage transport attractions in the Lake District, are looking for designs for the new item of clothing that explore ideas of nature, landscape, boats and trains. Young artists can choose their favourite mascot or do one design for each endearing character. Often mistaken for a mouse or brown rat, Ratty is the loveable water vole from Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway and Sammy is a native Red Squirrel from Ullswater ‘Steamers’. Both animals in the wild are native to the UK and are under threat from loss of their natural surroundings and non-native species such as the American mink and Grey Squirrel.
The winner will see their design bought to life and printed onto t-shirts that Ratty and Sammy will wear. The winners and shortlisted design entries will receive a free Family ticket to one of the attractions to enjoy a family day out.
Rachel Bell, Head of Marketing & Development for both attractions, says, “We are looking for fun creative ideas from young people that explore the habitats of our mascots and their favourite attraction. Both animals were chosen to be our mascots because they are native to Cumbria. We work with local conservation charities National Trust, Lake District Foundation to help raise awareness and funds to protect the very specials environments which our attractions are part of. Our mascots love having a selfie taken and visitors will be able to see them at our attractions at various events across the year. I can’t wait to see the designs that come in!”
To enter the competition, designers must be aged between 5 – 15 years and have the permission of a parent or guardian. The closing date is Thursday 30 April 2020. For more details on how to enter and the terms and conditions go to https://www.ullswater-steamers.co.uk/news/
