The winners of the 2022 ‘Wallace & Gromit’s Cracking Ideas’ competition have been announced by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) and Aardman.
The contest encourages students in Key Stages 1 and 2 (ages 4 to 11) to develop an idea while promoting awareness of and understanding of intellectual property rights (IP).
Answering the question, “How should we be travelling in the future whilst considering the natural environment?” was the task for 2022 competition participants. Children were urged to draw ideas from Wallace & Gromit’s famous creations and think about how the design may be enjoyable and environmentally friendly.
The competition received an amazing 1,126 entries, making it very challenging for the judges to choose the final winners from such an impressive and creative array.
The “Cheese Mobile,” which was created by Emily Benson from Cosby Primary in Leicestershire and was the winning submission in the Key Stage 1 category, is a clever innovation that drew Wallace and Gromit’s attention. It is powered by sustainable resources and is made of cheese.
Minnie-Jay Williams from New Invention Junior School in Willenhall, who created the “Super Springy” boots, came in second place. The boots’ unique features include a cheese and water spray, which is useful for when you are thirsty or hungry on the go.
The Moon Rider, a litter-collecting boat propelled by the wind, sea, and sun created by Evie-Moon Cleary at Westcliffe Primary School in Scunthorpe, was the winning entry in the Key Stage 2 category. This project makes excellent use of renewable natural resources.
Wallace & Gromit’s Tea Wagon, created by Jasmine Jayde Chin at Ysgol Nantgwyn in Tonypandy, came in second place; it is powered by discarded teabags and offers whatever kind of tea you’d like. A creative technique to recycle the teabags that would have otherwise been thrown away.
This year’s challenge was held in conjunction with “Wallace & Gromit’s Tour of Innovation.” Wallace & Gromit travelled one mile around the UK for each entry they got in a contest, learning about both old and new inventions.
The school that sent the pair the farthest is Cosby Primary in Leicestershire, with a fantastic mileage total of 239 miles.
Tim Moss, the Intellectual Property Office’s Chief Executive, said:
“Our Wallace and Gromit Cracking Ideas Competition continues to show how young people have the gift of imagination without limits, as the wealth of inspiring and imaginative entries demonstrate every year.
“It’s great to see that the competition is helping the next generation of creators and innovators understand the importance of protecting their original ideas. I would like to thank the teachers, parents, and helpers for encouraging the entrants and helping them grow their understanding of intellectual property as an asset for life. Encouraging and educating young people about the importance of IP will help build on the UK’s proud history of creativity and innovation, helping secure their future and make life better for all.”
Emily Jones, Brand Manager at Aardman, said:
“It was a joy to see all of the fantastic inventions from more young creative minds this year. We were blown away by the oodles of creativity, ideas and inspiration taken from Wallace & Gromit, from tea powered engines to cheesy vehicles! Well done to all who took part.”
Wallace & Gromit’s Cracking Ideas is one of the educational resources, competitions, and outreach programmes offered by the Intellectual Property Office in favour of innovation, creativity, and intellectual property.
To find out more, you can get in touch with the IPO via ideas@crackingideas.com.