From Crayons to Conservation: Young Artists Make Their Mark at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary

Wednesday, 23 July 2025

As the Cornish Seal Sanctuary turns 50, we wanted to celebrate with the help of the next generation of ocean heroes. We challenged local primary school children to design a special anniversary logo, and the creativity that came back was simply amazing.

As we celebrate 50 years at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary, we’ve been looking to the next generation of ocean heroes to help us mark this incredible milestone.

We set a challenge for primary school-aged children across the region: design a special celebratory logo to highlight half a century of seal rescue, rehabilitation, and release here in Gweek.

The creativity that poured in was truly inspiring. From colourful seals covered in plasters to cheeky seals munching on Cornish pasties, the entries were full of imagination, talent, and most importantly, a clear love for marine life. Our whole team was blown away by the passion these young artists brought to their work.

With the help of our wonderful supporters, we shortlisted the top designs in a public vote. Then came the hardest (and cutest) part, asking one of our very own resident seals, Banana, to make the final call! Faced with two fantastic designs (and a little fishy encouragement), Banana gave her “seal of approval” to the winning entry.

The winning design came from Gracie, a talented pupil at Mylor Bridge Primary School. Her vibrant artwork perfectly captured our legacy and dedication to protecting Cornwall’s marine wildlife, with an adorable seal at its heart.

To celebrate, Gracie’s class enjoyed a free trip to the Sanctuary, where they got to meet the animals their artwork was created to honour.

We’ve been absolutely blown away by the quality and creativity of the entries we received. It’s been so heartwarming to see how passionate young people are about the ocean and marine conservation. The children really put their hearts into their designs, and choosing just one winner was incredibly tough. We’re so grateful to everyone who took part in the voting, and of course to Banana, who had the final say!

A huge congratulations to Gracie for her beautiful and thoughtful design. It perfectly captures the spirit of the Sanctuary and our mission to protect Cornwall’s marine life.