The Judges
Eileen Turner
Judging the Art section
Based in Derbyshire Dales, Eileen Turner is a professional artist and a staunch supporter of our countryside and its inhabitants. Her water colours feature animal characters and other images and does whatever she can to protect the areas of wildlife and birds in which she finds inspiration and believes we need to protect severely predated animals like hedgehogs and song birds.
When on her travels, if no camera to hand , she takes a ‘Memory Photograph’ to use later, and from to make a sketch to use in later paintings.
With the inspiration from her paintings Eileen likes to encourage people to stop and listen – to hear the birds singing and the wind blowing through the trees.
Eileen’s characterful and detailed water colours are for sale as originals and also in the form of the highest quality Limited Edition Fine Art prints.
Cathy Grindrod
Judging the Writing section
Cathy Grindrod has published six collections of poetry, the latest being Surrender, published by Five Leaves. She is a former Derbyshire Poet Laureate, also writes memoir and plays, and wrote the libretto for the oratorio, More Glass Than Wall, in collaboration with composer James Redwood, which was shortlisted for a BBC Radio 3 Composer of the Year Award. In 2014 Cathy was awarded an
Honorary Degree for her work enhancing wellbeing through writing across Derbyshire communities.
She currently directs a programme of support for writers, The Writer Highway, and is a writing facilitator, mentor and coach.
Andy Hunt
Judging the Cartoon section
Andy Hunt is an experienced graphic designer, producing all forms of graphics from logos for the Filling Station cafe, next to Belper Bus Station, to the programmes, posters and in-game social graphics for Belper Town Football Club. He has a love for cartoons from a childhood of Beano and Whizzer & Chips and watching Bananman and Thundercats, to his more recent years of Viz, Pixar films and Family Guy.
Peter Hurst
Judging the Reel (Film Making) section
Peter Hurst is a partner in Immersive Productions, a commercial photography and video business based in Belper. He is also Belper and Duffield Rotary President for 2022 / 2023. He has been a photographer for most of his long life but formalised his professional status by graduating with an Honours Degree in Commercial Photography from University of Derby in 2016. He spent fifteen years as the Public Relations Officer for Derbyshire Army Cadets. Peter said “I am very proud to be Associated with this project as it will encourage young people to become involved with the arts in a competitive and fun way”.
Jade Whitt
Judging the Dance section
Jade started her dance training at the age of 2, she has taken part in many shows, exams and competitions over the years. Jade always knew she wanted to be a dance teacher, she became a student teacher at the age of 14 and then began her teacher training becoming qualified in the IDTA & ISTD. Jade is the principal teacher at Splitz Dance Centre in Belper and has over 15 years experience.
