Emmerdale star Charlie Hardwick has got on board to help judge a major schools competition which has focussed on this year’s exciting Tall Ships’ Races

The Newcastle born actress who plays Val Lambert in the Yorkshire based soap will visit the nine schools who are finalists in the Big Oceans Festival competition on Wednesday, 6 July.

In December John Middleton who plays the Rev Ashley Thomas in the soap helped launch the Big Oceans Festival where over 80 of the city’s schools were invited to adopt a ship.

They were asked to use the Tall Ships’ Races to learn about the ships, life on board, and also the countries they come from and illustrate their findings in reports, music, drama and presentations.

On Wednesday, Charlie and the other judges from Newcastle City Council’s Arts Development Team will have to decide which four of the nine finalists deserve to win an exciting mystery prize.

One entry from the children at Moorside Primary School includes a CD Rom presentation featuring examples their work.

The children studied their adopted ship, The Royalist, and also the Atlantic Ocean by using poems and displays and by visiting the Quayside during a special River Week.

Children at Knop Law Primary School used the Tall Ships’ Races to learn about sailing through the ages, from the ships used in Grecian times to the Tudor ship the Mary Rose.  

Pupils also had the opportunity to experience life on board a ship when they visited the Hartlepool Historic Quay centre.

The lucky winners will be revealed by Councillor David Faulkner, Executive Member for Culture, Heritage, Libraries and Sport at Newcastle City Council at the Big Oceans Parade and Festival on Friday, 8 July at Exhibition Park.

Councillor Faulkner said:  “This year’s Tall Ships’ Race will not just attract people to the Tyne it will also be used as a major learning experience for our city’s children.  The Big Oceans Project has linked schools to ships involved in the race and has encouraged pupils to use the whole curriculum in their reports and themed projects on the river and the Tall Ships’ Races.”

Phil Payne, Tall Ships' Manager for NewcastleGateshead, said: "It is fantastic to see children embrace the arrival of The Tall Ships Races with such imagination, enthusiasm and excitement. I'm sure they are all very much looking forward to actually seeing the ships for real when they arrive on The Tyne later this month."

ENDS