PhotoBox & ChildLine 2009 Young Photographer of the Year

PhotoBox has partnered with the NSPCC and their ChildLine service to support the Child’s Voice Appeal, which aims to answer every child’s cry for help. With this competition PhotoBox will create a platform for young people to celebrate their talent and passion for photography while raising money for a great cause.

The competition launched on September 8th and aims to capture the world of young people through their own eyes. It will be judged by an expert panel including renowned photographers, Annabel Williams and Charlie Waite along with senior representatives from NSPCC and PhotoBox.

Children are encouraged to enter via youngphotographer.photobox.com and their photographs will be grouped under four age categories – under 8 yrs, 9-12 yrs, 13-15 yrs or 16-18 yrs with different money can’t buy prizes for each.

Prize details for each category:

• Under 8yrs – tickets to the premiere of the new Disney film UP for a family of four on Sunday 4th October 2009
• 9-12yr old – tickets to the premiere as above
• 13-15 – a private screening of Disney’s ‘UP’ for winner and 50 of their friends
• 16-18 – a one to one photography masterclass with Charlie Waite
• Eight runners up; £100 credit to spend at PhotoBox

Some of the prizes have kindly been donated by Disney Pixar, which celebrates the release of its latest 3D animated Blockbuster; UP, landing in cinemas on October 9th.

All competition winners, runners-up and other highly commended entries will win a photo book featuring all winning images. This photo book will also be available to buy at PhotoBox to help raise money for the NSPCC.

PhotoBox UK, Managing Director, Mark Chapman said, “We want to engage with young people to celebrate their passion for photography. We believe we can raise awareness of a remarkable and serious cause by allowing young people to inspire and motivate us with their diversity and talent through photos. We are proud to partner with the NSPCC in this aim.”

Head of Corporate Partnerships at the NSPCC, Tracy Griffin said, “A picture paints a thousand words and for many, an image can express so much more than what can be said. A photographic competition fits in very well with our Child’s Voice Appeal, which aims to answer every child’s cry for help. All funds raised through the photo book from the competition will go towards the NSPCC’s Helpline and ChildLine so that more calls for help can be answered and more unheard voices can be listened to.”

The competition closes on 29th September, with the winners announced on the 1st October.

CALLING ALL FAB MUMS! Search for five real mums to become web celebs on new blog

A national search to find five ordinary mums to become online reality stars of the new social support network site FiveFabMums.com has been launched today. The website will follow the lives of the chosen five for a year as they experience the ups and downs of modern day motherhood, and will launch on MotherÂ’s’ Day, 2nd March 2008.

Sponsored by Tixylix, FiveFabMums.com will be the first website of its kind to give real mums the opportunity to blog their everyday experiences. The five chosen women will blog family life through video diaries, photos and web chat. From teething troubles, nappy nightmares and toddler tantrums to first steps, cute cuddles and teatime triumphs, motherhood will be shown in all its glory for all mums to share.

Having a child is a life-changing experience and adjusting to this new life can be hard; friends, work colleagues and a social life can sometimes feel very far away. FiveFabMums.com recognises that modern mums are increasingly turning to the online community, and aims to provide mums with a place to go for support, advice, friendship and fun without having to leave home.

As well as sharing the highs and lows of the chosen mums other mums can contact the Five Fab Mums with questions and can take part in web interviews. Tips and advice on everyday parenting problems by GPs and midwives also mean that good advice is just a click away. All mums can also use the photo fun section and can adapt fun photos of their little ones to share with friends and family.

To become one of the Five Fab Mums you can apply online at www.tixylix.co.uk by 21st December 2007. Applicants will be shortlisted and notified if successful by 31st December and invited for an all expenses paid trip to London for the final audition weekend on 5th & 6th of January 2008.

Each of the Five Fab Mums will be given a state of the art digital video camera to help them create their blog, and each mum will receive £100 a month paid into their Child’s Trust Fund as a thank you for participating.