THAMES Chase Trust is running a special art competition for children to showcase what they love about forests across the Community Forest and beyond.

The trust is an organisation that promotes woodland creation and biodiversity, works to improve landscape including derelict land, and works to improve access to the countryside.

It operates in Thurrock, Brentwood, Barking & Dagenham and Havering.

The project is part of the Thames Chase annual art exhibition which each year sees more than 150 local artists participate in a display at the Forest Centre. Last year Upminster's artist Tom Mead, a finalist in the 2019 Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year competition, launched the Art and Sculpture Exhibition.

This is the second children's art competition which runs alongside the annual adult exhibition, and new for this year, Thames Chase have worked with local artists to deliver inspiration online throughout the May half term holiday to help inspire young minds with their submission, working in different mediums and processes.

The artwork can be any medium - paint, charcoal, collage or sculpture and an image of the child's favourite artwork should be emailed to [email protected] with the sentence 'I love forests because…" completed, before 14 August. Entries will be judged in two categories (4-10yrs and 11-16yrs).

Trustee Mary Wright says: "Inspiring the next generation to understand the world around them is vital to ensure that they take care of the landscape and continue to protect the environment."

"Through the children's art competition we hope that young people will be actively engaged with our work throughout the community forest by the way that artists have envisioned animals, figures or a landscape."

Tom Mead, who will be the guest judge for the children's art competition also said: "It's great to see how people are using this time to express themselves creatively and try new hobbies, and I can't wait to see the amazing work these children are creating!"