12 year old Rihanna Rose Furlong has been named the winner of the Isle of Man Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) logo competition.
The competition ran over the winter period, calling for children and young people aged 8 – 18 to design a logo for the new team. The rules stipulated that all designs must be the entrants own work, imaginative and based on the work that MASH does, ideally including the logos of Manx Care and the Police in some way.
The contest closed on 12 January 2024 and a total of 31 entries were displayed in the MASH offices, where they were judged by all the colleagues who work there. There were three prizes which were given respectively for first, second and third place, where the winners were allowed to choose a voucher from a local or high street retailer of their choice.
MASH includes representation from Manx Care’s Social Care and Health teams, as well as the Isle of Man Constabulary, who work collaboratively to reduce the risk of harm to children and ensure their safety. They share information with each other about children and families to support their decisions around a child’s welfare and safety.
Winner, Rihanna Rose Furlong said:
‘Originally I was going to do a design using puzzle pieces fitting together, but then I changed it because I found a better way to get the Manx Care and Police logos to fit together. I am very pleased to have won.’
Children and Families Social Care Participation Officer, Christopher Walker, added:
‘The idea for the competition came about when the Assistant Director of Children’s and Families Social Work reached out to me asking how we could get young people around the Island involved in creating a logo for MASH. A rendition of the winning design will be used on all official paperwork used by the MASH team and on the entrances of the offices.’
LEFT TO RIGHT: Julie Gibney (Assistant Director - Children and Families Social Work), Rihanna Rose Furlong (Winner) and Steve Maddocks (Isle of Man Constabulary)
