Love for animals shines through in NHS Trust’s photo competition

Animal magic was the winning theme in an NHS Trust’s World Mental Health Day photo competition, with the top three entries all depicting love for our friendly four-legged friends.

Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LPFT) received some amazing photographs from people across the county as part of its competition to mark the global awareness day last month.

From beautiful sunsets, to pictures of your favourite sports cars, the Trust was inundated with images of what makes people happy and keeps them living well.

It was the animals who clearly came out top however, with first prize going to Robyn King, from Lincoln, who submitted a lovely photo of her two dogs Harley, the Shar Pei and Amber, the Ridgeback.

“We love taking walks together, it is great to get out in the fresh air and enjoy the sunshine and this was a particularly lovely day,” said Robyn who wins £100 worth of shopping vouchers.

“I find walking very peaceful and fellow dog lovers are always friendly, even if it’s just a nod and a smile as we pass one another.”

Second prize went to fellow dog lover Debbie Jones, from Sleaford, whose photo of her six-year-old Springer Spaniel Marvin bagged her £50 worth of vouchers.

“I love getting out and about with Marvin, and a walk down by the river helps me clear my head and chill-out,” said Debbie, who works as a secretary for Beyond the Blues, a county support group that helps people suffering from depression.

Last but by no means least, was Derek Malone’s hilarious horse photograph, which helped him scoop third prize and £25 worth of vouchers for his efforts.

Derek, who lives in Thurlby, near Lincoln, said his photo always makes him smile.

“My pony is called Katie and she’s 35 years old,” he said.

“I chose that particular photo because it does what she’s good at – making people smile.

“If it can bring out a smile and help publicise World Mental Health Day, then that’s good enough for me.”

All of the photos LPFT received were featured as part of the Trust’s Living well in our communities event, which took place in Lincoln on October 10th.

In a day of celebrations members of the public enjoyed drama performances, creative writing, and art workshops.

The Trust also marked two important milestones on the day – with LPFT reaching its 10,000^th member, and the SHINE network also reaching 1,000 members.

Trust Chair Paul Devlin said:  “Congratulations to Robyn, Debbie and Derek on their success in the competition.

“Their photos certainly made me feel happy, and they are inspiring examples of what helps keep people living well.”