​BRENTWOOD, UK - Eight schools have each won a Ford Transit minibus in a competition to celebrate the 2011 centenary of Ford Motor Company in the UK.

Children from more than 100 schools were asked to draw or paint what they thought a vehicle would like now 100 years from now. Then head teachers had write in 100 words or less why a Transit minibus would make a difference to their school.

State schools were eligible if they had a pupil with a parent or grandparent who was either a Ford Motor Company or Ford Credit employee or retiree; they were also eligible if they had a governor who was an employee of either company.

Popular entries were flying vehicles, eco-cars powered by waste or sunlight and vehicles catering for children with disabilities.

The winners were obviously delighted. At Lavington School, a small rural secondary on the edge of Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, they have always bought their minibuses secondhand to save money – until now.

“Everyone is so excited, it has given the whole school a buzz,” said business manager Angela Downing. “We are just completely bowled over and thrilled.”

The winning schools, whose entries were judged the most imaginative, were:
Lavington School, Devizes; St Joseph’s RC Primary, Highgate, London; Ysgol Gymraeg Blaendulais, near Neath, south Wales; St Austin’s Primary, Liverpool; Glenwood School, Benfleet, Essex; Sholing Junior, Southampton; Suttons Primary, Hornchurch; Grays Convent High School, Grays, Essex.