Competition Opening Monday 11 May!
Over the last few months, we’ve partnered with The Men’s Shed Chelmsford and the Essex Library Service to bring new community libraries to green spaces across the Chelmsford district.
These beautifully crafted book boxes—each hand‑painted by our very own Park Ranger, Astrid—are now much‑loved mini reading hubs located in Central Park and John Shennan Field Nature Reserve Local Nature Reserve with more due to be installed across the district later in the year.
They’re simple to use, take a book, and if you can, leave a book. It’s a great way for children, young people, and adults to pass on stories they’ve finished while discovering something new to read.
To celebrate these libraries, we’re inviting Chelmsford’s young people to design our next official bookmark as part of our 2026 Bookmark Design Competition.
Competition Categories
You can enter if you live in the Chelmsford district and fall into one of the following age groups:
- Under 7 years
- 7–11 years
- 12 years and over
Prizes
First Prize (each category)
- Your design printed and available in community book boxes across the district
- £25 book token
- 50 printed bookmarks of your design to share with classmates, friends and family
- Sketchpad and drawing pencil set
- Nature‑themed art book
- Space to Thrive tote bag
Second Prize
- £10 book token
- Sketchpad and drawing pencil set
- Space to Thrive tote bag
Third Prize
- £10 book token
- Space to Thrive tote bag
How to Enter
- Download the entry form (or pick up a paper copy from Chelmsford Library).
- Design your bookmark by hand on the template.
- Submit your entry by either:
-
- Placing a hard copy into the drop box at Chelmsford Library, or
- Scanning your design (minimum 300dpi maximum file size 4MB) and emailing it to: corporate.marketing@chelmsford.gov.uk
That’s it! Entries must be submitted by midnight on Monday 15 June. We’ll shortlist our favourite designs and the winners will be chosen by our panel of judges; we’ll then contact them directly with the good news.
Meet the judges
- Councillor Rose Moore, Cabinet Member for a Greener Chelmsford
- Hayley Wells, Essex-based illustrator with an MA in Children’s Book Illustration from Cambridge School of Art. Their work has been shortlisted for the World Illustration Awards, featured on television, and published worldwide.
- Ros Green, Director of Essex Book Festival
- Cathy Whitaker, Library Service Team Manager, Chelmsford Central Library & Chelmsford Libraries
- Astrid Wallis, Community Library artist and Assistant Volunteer Leader for Chelmsford City Parks
Prize Presentation
If your design wins first place, you’ll be presented with your prize at Oaklands Park on Friday 26 June at 4.30pm where you’ll also see your bookmark printed and proudly displayed in the newly installed Community Library book box.
Terms and Conditions
Full terms and conditions can be found here.
