Today (Monday 11th December), the winner of the Big Issue’s Christmas Kids Cover Competition has been revealed as six-year-old, Arnold Sam from Epsom, Surrey.
This year’s competition, which has become an annual fixture in the UK’s festive calendar, attracted hundreds of entries from children and schools, riffing on this year’s theme: WELCOME.
Arnold’s joyful design depicting a bright and beaming Christmas tree and joyful Santa with some elf helpers in tow, stood out to the judges and was picked out for the cover.
Arnold said: “When I heard this exciting news, I felt so happy and really proud that my drawing will be on the cover of the Big Issue. The magazine helps people. I want to wish everyone a super happy Christmas and I hope Santa can bring Christmas gifts and joy to every nice kid in the world.”
Arnold is passionate about art and heard about the competition from his teacher Lily.
“He loves drawing and this opportunity was especially exciting for him,” said Arnold’s mum Queenie.