BEXLEY: Walk to School Competition winner Oliver Burgess
12:07pm Thursday 25th June 2009 in Video
Oliver Burgess read today's news headlines during his visit to the News Shopper
NEWS Shopper entertained a very special guest at its Petts Wood headquarters today.
Oliver Burgess, nine, from Franklin Road, Bexleyheath, was the winner of a new competition run by Bexley Council this year, to mark Walk to School Week.
Oliver, a pupil at Belmont Primary School in Belmont Road, Erith, wrote the winning entry in a competition for nine to 11-year olds to describe who they would like to walk to school with and why.
The top four entries were judged by a panel of journalists in the News Shopper newsroom who , after a lot of debate, chose Oliver as the winner.
Oliver's choice of walking companion was rugby player Paul Sackey, the Wasps and England winger.
Oliver said "I chose him because I play rugby with Sidcup Rugby Club and he plays in the same position as me."
But he was up against some stiff opposition.
Other chosen walking companions included the Queen, mum and school friends.
Jennifer Counsel, Bexley's school travel co-ordinator said: "We wanted to make Walk to school Week more personal andd focused for our younger residents."
As well as a tour of the News Shopper offices with editor Richard Firth, Oliver was also interviewed on video, which was broadcast on the News Shopper's website and he received a specially printed "front page" which included this story.
Oliver's prize also included having his entry recorded by London radio station Kiss 10-0 for a podcast.
His winning entry was: I would like to walk to school with Paul Sackey, it would be cool.
He plays rugby, so do i He could give me some tips to score a try.
From home to school is a 15 minute walk This would be a great time to talk.
We would walk for half-a-mile Talking about rugby, makes me smile.
We could talk about playing on the wing That's the position I play in.
He could tell me about the cups Wasps have won.
I saw them win, it was great fun.
