Hertfordshire Heroes invites all Hertfordshire Key Stage 2 pupils to take part in our annual Christmas Art Competition.
Submit the festive artwork by 16 November 2026.
This year, we invite children to create artwork that will bring festive cheer to military personnel, for a chance to win a day of adventure kindly donated by the UK military's operational headquarters, Northwood HQ. One winner will be chosen from each year group across Key Stage 2.
The artwork will be shared with members of the Armed Forces who are serving away from their families during the Christmas period, helping to spread festive cheer and show appreciation for their service.
How to enter
Schools should coordinate entries and submit them on behalf of their pupils.
You can submit artwork either by post or email.
For both postal and email entries, please include the name and contact details of the adult responsible for coordinating the submission.
If you have any questions about the competition, please contact us.
By post
Please write, or make sure the pupil has legibly written, the school name, year group and pupil name on the back of the artwork.
Post entries to:
Hertfordshire Heroes Christmas Art Competition
Postal Point: CHO144
Hertfordshire County Council
Farnham House
Six Hills Way
Stevenage
SG1 2FQ.
By email
Schools can send scanned copies or high-quality photographs of artwork in JPEG, PNG or PDF format.
Please name each file using this format:
SchoolName_YearGroup_Name
Email entries to Hertfordshire.Heroes@hertfordshire.gov.uk.
Artwork requirements
Please ask pupils to create a single piece of artwork on one page, no larger than A3.
The artwork must:
- feature His Majesty’s Armed Forces
- include a winter theme, such as Christmas or another winter festival
- not use glitter.
Children can also include a message, such as:
- “Wishing our Armed Forces a Merry Christmas from [School Name].”
- “Thank you for your service.”
We’ll share the artwork with members of the Armed Forces who are serving away from their families during the Christmas period. The artwork will help spread festive cheer and show appreciation for their service.
Before you submit
Please check that:
- The artwork is no larger than A3.
- The artwork does not contain glitter.
- The pupil’s name, year group and school are clearly identified.
- You have provided the contact details of the adult coordinating the submission.
- You have obtained any permissions you need to submit the child’s artwork and details.
- You submit the entry by Monday 16 November 2026.
Further guidance
The competition is open to all Hertfordshire Key Stage 2 pupils.
By entering the competition, schools and parents/carers acknowledge that we may display, publish and use submitted artwork in Hertfordshire Heroes and Hertfordshire County Council communications and publicity materials.
We’ll seek permission before using photographs of winning artists on the Hertfordshire County Council website, Hertfordshire Heroes website, in press releases or in the Hertfordshire Armed Forces Covenant Board annual report.
The judging and distribution of artwork depend on staff availability at Northwood HQ. The competition may therefore change because of the nature of military operations.
Schools should make sure they have obtained any permissions required to submit children’s artwork and details as part of the competition.
Winning entries
We’ll choose one winner from each year group: Year 3, Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6.
The Chair of the Hertfordshire Armed Forces Covenant Board and the Commanding Officer at Northwood HQ will judge the 2026 competition.
Northwood HQ plans to distribute the winning artwork to Armed Forces personnel working away from home over Christmas.
We’ll work with the relevant school Headteacher to arrange for each winner to receive a certificate at their school. We plan to notify winning schools before the end of the December 2026 term.
Photos of the winning entries will be featured on www.hertfordshireheroes.org and on Hertfordshire County Council social media.
Each winning artist will also receive a prize kindly donated by Northwood HQ. In 2025, the prize was a token for an “outdoor adventure experience”.
Hertfordshire Armed Forces Covenant Board works in partnership to deliver the Armed Forces Covenant locally. It brings together business, military organisations, charities, NHS and local authorities who work in partnership to ensure that no veteran faces a disadvantage when accessing public services, the Armed Forces community is honoured and celebrated for the sacrifices they have made, and the military and civilian communities are well integrated.
Northwood HQ in Eastbury, Hertfordshire, is a very important military base that makes decisions about joint and combined military operations involving the Navy, RAF and the Army worldwide.