PUPILS from five rural Ribble Valley schools have created artwork for a new exhibition celebrating the golden anniversary of the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Over the past two months, youngsters have had an opportunity to engage in creative art activities as part of a Ribble Valley Schools Showcase.

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The culmination of each school’s work hasve been exhibited at the Platform Gallery in Clitheroe this week.

The pupils were asked to research and consider their role in the future of this valuable landscape and explore how Bowland has evolved since its inauguration in 1964.

Each school had a professional artist working with them on a specific decade between 1964 to the present day.

Bowland High School worked with artist Gonzalo Araoz to create 3Dthree-dimensional pieces.

Allison Tarpey from the school said: “The students thoroughly enjoyed working with Gonzalo on the project and great relationships were formed in a short time.

“Having the opportunity to work with an artist and see an idea develop into realisation, was a super experience for our students.

“All agree that the sculpture looks superb in situ.“ Meanwhile, Bolton-by-Bowland CE Aided Primary School worked with Pete Flowers on mixed media collages and drawings and headteacher Maureen Stanfield, said: “The pupils really enjoyed taking part and it was really fun for them.

“I organised for the artist to come to the school and the pupils looked at the village between 1974 and 1984.

“It was great because we had a lot of old school photos and they could see their parents in them which was really nice.

“They enjoyed seeing what the village was like at the time and I think they got a lot out of the experience.”

Elsewhere, Grindleton Primary School worked with photographer Veronica Caperon and Waddington and West Bradford CE Primary School with Jenny McCabe.

St Mary’s RC Primary School at Chipping worked with painters Rob and Christine Coleman.

Green Close, a rural arts provider in Melling, North Bowland, lead the programme of creative engagement, which was funded by Lancashire County Council, the Forest of Bowland AONB and Ribble Valley Borough Council.

The Ribble Valley Schools Showcase follows the successful ‘Revealed’ exhibition held in three galleries across Clitheroe and a series of free community workshops that took taking place at numerous venues across the area in November.