East Cambridgeshire District Council has launched a competition for young people aged between five and 18 to design two new mazes to be planted at Ely Country Park. The two tree-based mazes will form part of our celebration of the Queen’s Green Canopy, as well as helping to combat climate change and boost local nature.

The competition for budding designers is available to all young residents in the district and you can apply by submitting your designs to the Council before September 29th.

The Council is looking for two creative designs that will be planted out on an area of land bigger than the Hive main swimming pool!

Guidance notes and an application form which will allow young maze designers to draw their idea onto a plan, for either the main or junior maze, are available from participating schools and the Council’s website.
The competition launch comes after the Council’s Operational Services committee unanimously agreed to a new Environment Plan for 2021/2022.

The new mazes, which it is envisaged will be planted as part of the next planting schedule in winter 2021, makes up one of the twenty actions within the plan.

Councillor David Ambrose Smith, chairman of the Operational Services Committee for East Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “As a Council, we are dedicated to doing everything we can to reduce carbon emissions and protecting the environment and the unanimous approval of our second Environment Plan is a testament to that.

“As part of our action plan, we have set ourselves 20 actions to achieve over the next 12 months and I am incredibly pleased to see that progress towards these goals has already begun.”

Councillor Julia Huffer, climate change champion at East Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “Everyone has a part to play in reducing carbon emissions and protecting the environment and giving young people the chance to get involved in these efforts is crucial.

“This is a great opportunity for young people across the district to get involved in a very exciting project and I would encourage everyone who is able to, to take part and submit their entry.”

“We look forward to seeing some of the creative ideas from young minds across the district.”

Mrs Julie Spence OBE QPM, Lord-Lieutenant, Her Majesty the Queen’s representative for Cambridgeshire, said “I’m delighted to hear of this maze project, and fully support the contribution it will make towards the Queen’s Green Canopy which was recently launched across the country to honour the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.

“Throughout her reign, the Queen has been a passionate supporter of planting new trees and fully recognises the benefits trees bring to our environment.”

The Council is accepting entries until 12pm on Wednesday 29^th September.

Entries can be submitted to the Council office via post or by emailing climatechange@eastcambs.gov.uk.

Postal entries will need to be addressed to Richard Kay and sent to East Cambridgeshire District Council, The Grange, Nutholt lane, Ely, CB7 4EE.

More information about the competition can be found on the Council’s website.