CHILDREN in Aberaeron have put their creativity on show in a local art competition.

Contestants were asked to reimagine the blood-feeding plant monster from The Little Shop of Horrors.

The winning design, made by Ysgol Gyfun Aberaeron Year 9 pupil Roxanne Smith, will be used by local drama group Memorama as the monster’s model in their upcoming performance of the film – beginning on 30 November in Aberaeron Memorial Hall.

Entries for the competition were collected by Ysgol Gyfun Aberaeron’s Gemma Roberts, who brought them before the competition’s judges: Natalie Chapman, owner of Gallery Gwyn; artist May Hopkins; and Memorama’s Robert Brierly.

The three judges were so impressed by each of the competition’s more than 30 entries that they will display them at the memorial hall when Memorama performs the show.

Rhian Graham organised the competition as part of her community interest company Aeron Stars. She set the company up in the summer of 2022 with the intention of engaging children in performing arts.

A central drive of Ms Graham’s in creating Aeron Stars was to respond to the impact of the pandemic upon children.

She said: “I work as a secondary school teacher, and I’ve seen the change in self-esteem and anxiety levels. I see them feeling nervous with things they wouldn’t have thought twice about previously.

“I want the company to give children an opportunity to try out new things that perhaps they couldn’t do in school. They can learn new skills, come together, and make new friends.”

Aeron Stars meet after school every week from 3.30pm in the Memorial Hall.

They are open to children aged eight to 11 on Tuesdays, and for those aged 12 and over on Wednesdays.