The calendar has become a flagship activity with the new year edition eagerly sought by our friends and followers.

Challenged each year to make the feature pages interesting and relevant, in 2023 NHWT devised a drawing competition for primary school students on the theme of Safe Neighbourhoods. Winners were invited to a prizegiving event with their family, and the runners-up were also included in the publication as a montage of stamp size miniatures. The calendars quickly became a popular acquisition for presents under the Christmas tree and as a family keepsake.

The drawing competition proved to be an effective way to promote the NHW brand and stimulate community conversations about what factors contribute to a safe neighbourhood. Because the competition was for primary school students, it automatically engaged families with younger parents and younger children – many of whom got to attend the prize giving and refreshments that followed.

We were so happy with the success of the initiative that we decided to do it again in 2024 for the publication in 2025. This year we doubled our entries. In order to fit the runners-up in the edition, along with the winning entries, the montage pages have also doubled.

Congratulations to all the children who entered. Who knows what is in store for the 2026 calendar? Watch this space!

Ava Barstow (9 years) – Front Cover 2025 calendar illustration.