An 11-year-old artist from Spalding has seen her vibrant drawing selected to appear across more than 100 local shops, promoting a summer community scheme that provides free fruit to children.
Competition Win
Valerija Podberiozkina won a regional competition after her design was chosen from hundreds of entries. Her artwork will now feature on posters, website graphics, shelf markers, and redemption cards used by families participating in the initiative.
Free Fruit Initiative
The campaign advertises a Lincolnshire Co-op scheme that offers children linked to a member's account a free piece of fruit every day during the school holidays. Young shoppers can choose between an apple, a banana, or an orange when visiting their local store.
Celebration at Local Store
To celebrate her success, Valerija was invited to the Wygate Park Food Store in Spalding to see her artwork on display and receive a special prize.
Valerija said: "I was so surprised and happy when I found out that I had won, and seeing my drawings in the shop is amazing!" She continued: "I love to ride my bike or walk to the shop, and being able to pick up a piece of yummy fruit for free when you get there makes it even better."
Impressive Reach
More than 13,500 children are currently registered for the initiative, which handed out 18,395 pieces of fruit during the previous summer break. The scheme runs from July 27 to September 5 at 101 Lincolnshire Co-op shops.
Retailer’s Perspective
Michelle Dart, retail media manager at Lincolnshire Co-op, said: “This is a scheme we’re really proud to offer; it means that kids have access to fresh fruit throughout the holidays, provides a fun, free and easy activity to do every day.” She added: “We’re honoured to be able to use Valerija’s artwork to promote the scheme. We had lots of great entries, but we think she really captured the healthy habits we want to help promote; staying active and eating well!”
How to Participate
To benefit from the scheme, families need to add a child under 13 to an adult Lincolnshire Co-op membership account online. This gives children daily access to a free piece of fruit at any participating store throughout the summer holidays.
