17-year-old wins award in RSPCA’s national photo competition

‘Peeping Tom’ by 17-year-old Sophie Garwood, from Liss, was commended in the Picture Perfect Pets category of the RSPCA Young Photographer Awards 2019.

Sophie, who took the picture in her garden on a Canon 2000D camera, said: “I’m so happy that the judges liked my photo. This photograph is of my tom cat, Sammy. He was rescued as a kitten and travelled on the tube and train down from Marble Arch in London to the Cat Protection Centre in Surrey, where we adopted him from two years ago.

“I took this photo to capture his shy but inquisitive nature, as he peeps around the corner to watch me intently.”

Youngsters aged up to 18 years old were invited to capture the animal kingdom on camera or on a mobile device for the RSPCA awards.

There were a record 6,595 entries across 11 categories and three different age groups, with the winners announced during an awards ceremony hosted by Chris Packham at the Tower of London.

Chris was joined on the judging panel by TV presenter Patrick Aryee, award-winning photographers Andrew Forsyth and Jules Cox, Philip Warner, managing director of Warners Midlands plc, Ellie Rothnie from Nature’s Images, and former RSPCA Young Photographer Awards overall winner Catriona Parfitt.

Judge and awards host Chris Packham said: “I’ve been judging the RSPCA Young Photographer Awards since they started. It’s exciting to see it move with the times, particularly with new options this year such as the Instagram category.

“We’re also pleased that the Mobile Phone and Devices category continues, because as no separate camera is required, this has really opened up the competition to almost anyone.”

>>> 16 big Chichester events in 2020 to put in your diaries <<<

<<< Postmaster celebrates 25 years of service to the community <<<