Talented pupils from across Montgomeryshire have been celebrated after winning a long‑running art and writing competition that has been inspiring young people for decades.
The Montgomeryshire Society handed out prizes to students at Llanidloes High School, Ysgol Bro Hyddgen in Machynlleth, Newtown High School, Ysgol Llanfyllin and Ysgol Bro Caereinion.
The Society is a London‑based organisation for people with connections to Montgomeryshire and remains one of the few Welsh county societies still active in the capital.
This year’s prizes were presented by the Society’s president, Helen Gunn, who toured schools across the county to meet pupils and award the 2026 competition winners.
Mrs Gunn is the granddaughter of Powys farmer Willie Griffiths, who founded the National Milk Bars chain to sell milk produced at his Woodlands Farm in Forden, near Welshpool. She is also a descendant of the renowned hymn writer Ann Griffiths.
Although born and raised in Wimbledon, Mrs Gunn spent much of her school holidays in Mid Wales and later drew on her love of Montgomeryshire’s landscape and people in her Country Notes column for Country Life magazine, which she wrote for 10 years.
Speaking after meeting pupils, she said she had been blown away by the standard of entries.
“I was just terribly impressed by the imagination children have,” she said. “I was a writer myself and I set one of the subjects - a winter ghost story - and some of the ideas were so imaginative that I was genuinely terrified by them.”
She said being recognised by someone from outside their school communities made a real difference to young people.
“When someone from outside says ‘this is really good’, it makes them feel noticed and they gain confidence,” she said.
Mrs Gunn added that visiting schools was the highlight of the Society’s year.
“Without a doubt, visits to schools are the highlight of the year and very encouraging for the future,” she said.
The Charles Churchill and Mary Valentine Prizes for an English or Welsh essay or story were awarded to Ethan Riley Davies, Ava Davies and Lisa Schultz of Llanidloes High School, with second‑place prizes going to Luna Bentley of Newtown High School and Llanidloes pupils Gracie Stanley and Simeon Schultz.
Vaughan Davies Prizes for a Welsh essay or story were won by Annes Wigley and Heledd Edwards of Ysgol Bro Hyddgen and Eos Jones of Ysgol Llanfyllin, with second‑place awards going to Fflori Butler and Ffion Eluned Jones.
Clement Davies Prizes for artwork were won by Stanley Bates and Mya‑Kai Millins of Ysgol Bro Caereinion and Dyfed Childs of Ysgol Bro Hyddgen.
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