THE winning image of a photographic competition in Whitchurch has gone on sale.

Earlier this year, Homefolk and We Are Whitchurch community clean-up group teamed up to launch the contest to celebrate the town we live in and to raise awareness about keeping a tidy town.

Three photographs were shortlisted and went to a public vote to determine the winner via a poll on the Friends of Whitchurch and We Are Whitchurch Facebook groups.

It was incredibly close with the winning photo by Lucy Childlow of the bandstand at Jubilee Park during summer, closely followed by a great photograph of the Wild Area with the sun streaming through the trees by Anthony Gilmore.

Graham King's photograph of the Shropshire Union Canal came in third.

Lucy Young, of Homefolk, said: "We wanted to support and contribute to We Are Whitchurch’s ongoing efforts and thought a photography competition that celebrated the town we live in would be a great way to do this.

"The competition invited people to capture what they see when they look or think of Whitchurch, encouraging them to look beyond the obvious. And it wasn’t about being a professional photographer – as the image would be redrawn into a poster – it was much more about exploring and celebrating our town, thinking about what makes it unique and sharing that with others.

"We had such a great response, and we saw some fabulous photographs submissions that captured our parks, high streets, countryside and beyond."

Homefolk already have two photographs of the town turned into illustrated posters – the High Street and the Whitchurch Arm of the Llangollen Canal – and Homefolk donates £3.50 from every print sold to We Are Whitchurch. The style of the prints was influenced by Lucy Youngs love of vintage travel posters, and postcards she has collected during her holidays and work travels.

Lucy Chidlow, the photographer of the winning photo, which will also go on sale now, said: “Thanks to all who voted. I feel incredibly honoured to have won. The competition was very high and all the final entries will hold something special to everyone who voted.

"I personally have lived in Whitchurch all my life and that bandstand holds many memories from my childhood. A picture taken one sunny afternoon this year, while clearing my head of a lot of things, was exactly where I needed to be to capture a moment of serenity.

“A lot of hard work has gone into Jubilee Park over the last couple of years, which really shows how much of an asset to the town it really is. We've never had as great a park as the one we have today, thanks to all those who work to make it as picturesque as it is. This picture represents how beautiful Whitchurch can be with the right funding and focus. I'm sure the bandstand and Jubilee Park will continue to bring joy to many in the future just as it has given me over the years.

"Now, please remember to buy the artwork when it's done so we can then raise funds for We Are Whitchurch and help more community projects! Many thanks and much blessings to you."

We Are Whitchurch started in October 20 as a community clean-up group made up of volunteers that tackles areas of neglect in Whitchurch. Members of the Whitchurch community give up their time on a Sunday morning to help look after and clear up the areas that need a bit of TLC. Such areas include cutting back hedges and clearing abandoned or disused areas.

Adele Jackson of We Are Whitchurch, said: "At the heart of it, We Are Whitchurch is about coming together as a community to create a sense of pride and ownership of our town. By helping to improve our local area, tackling areas that were neglected and making them easier and safer to use. It has bought people of all ages together, working outside and giving them a huge sense of achievement when a project is completed.

"We have had so much support from the local residents and businesses and are really grateful to Homefolk for their continual support – it’s been great collaborating on this to capture another part of our beautiful town in print.'’

The new print is available to purchase from Homefolk for £12.95 with £3.50 from every print going towards funding We Are Whitchurch.