Wimborne Schoolchildren Help Guardall Celebrate 25 Years With Home-Safety Poster Competition

The independent, family-run company, invited pupils from first schools across Wimborne to design posters on the theme Safe and Sound in Your Home, with ideas ranging from checking alarms and locking doors to switching off electrical plugs.

Entries were judged by Wimborne Town Mayor, Councillor Jeff Hart, with support from Planet Wimborne volunteers. The overall winner was Florence, aged seven, from Wimborne First School, whose colourful, detailed poster “caught the judges’ eye straight away”. Her school receives £200 from Guardall.

Florence said she hoped the prize money might go towards “building a swimming pool for the school in this hot weather”. Her winning design has been professionally printed and displayed outside Guardall’s West Borough offices.

St John’s First School also celebrated success. Annie, and Iris both aged eight from Panda Class were both runners up. Iris said her inspiration came from imagining “what she would do around the house if she was grown up”.

Two more St John’s pupils – Alexander, seven, and Lydia, seven, both from Dolphin Class – were named runners-up as well. St John’s will receive £200 from Guardall, and every child who attended the presentation received a book token.

Guardall founders Sally and David Vowles said the competition was a fitting way to celebrate the company’s milestone anniversary:

“We’re incredibly proud to have served residents across Dorset, Wiltshire and Hampshire for 25 years and to have been in Wimborne for ten of those years. We’re even prouder to celebrate that milestone with local children. Their posters were imaginative, thoughtful and full of personality – a real credit to their schools,” said Sally Vowles. 

Mayor of Wimborne Jeff Hart congratulated all the entrants, praising their “bright ideas and brilliant artwork”. The presentation was given its own special ‘cry’ by Wimborne town crier Chris Brown to the delight of the children. 

Founded in 2001 by David Vowles, Guardall has grown from a small independent venture into a trusted security business serving customers across Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire. Its client portfolio includes private homes, heritage properties and high-street brands including Costa, Toni & Guy and Carpet Barn.