Portsmouth High School Junior pupils, Jessica Nilssen  and Elizabeth Rose  have won the opportunity to work with famous British artist Ben Johnson during their school holiday.

The girls entered a nationwide competition organised by Save the Children as part of the Big Draw way back in October 2007. The competition asked children across the country to draw a picture of what they think is “the best thing about school.”

The two discovered in March that their entries had been successful and will travel to London on Saturday 19 April to spend the day working alongside Ben Johnson in his studio.

Each pupil paid £1 to enter the competition with the money raised going to Save the Children’s ‘rewrite the future campaign’ which focuses on children in conflict-afflicted areas, helping those who are missing out on an education and to go to school.

Portsmouth High School promoted the competition in the School and encouraged pupils who love drawing to enter. Charlotte Hadfield, Head of the Junior Department said;

“The competition was a great way to raise money for Save the Children and to promote the Big Draw campaign, which aims to get people drawing whatever their ability. It was a national competition, so to have two girls from the same school win is absolutely amazing, the girls were asked to draw ‘the best thing about school’ so there is obviously something about Portsmouth High School which inspired the pupils and impressed the judges too.”