OMD's Andy McCluskey praises pupils' art at Great Meols Primary

Organised by fan group Friends of 632 3003, the theme was 'OMD album art throughout the decades' with pupils at Great Meols Primary School asked to create their own interpretations of some of the electronic band's classic LP covers.

Andy and fellow band member, Paul Humphreys, met at the school and later bonded over a love of electronic music before forming OMD in 1978.

The band went on to enjoy huge success with hits like Enola Gay, Messages and Joan of Arc. 

The judges were faced with the task of choosing an overall winner from 110 entries and it was Winnifred Bates who received a prize with the school getting a donation to its art department.

Winnifred's painting will be on display in the public call box on nearby Greenwood Road which featured in the band’s track Red Frame White Light and has now become a popular destination for OMD fans from across the world to pay homage to their favourite band.

As well as the overall winner, there are two winners from each of the school's six years, whose work will also be on view - one each month - in the phone box over the next 12 months.

During the assembly on Tuesday, January 8, Andy presented deputy headteacher, Ben Parker with framed picture of the famous red phone box from which the band made their bookings for gigs in the early days. The picture was signed by Andy and John Petch, who created the artwork for OMD's recent album, Bauhaus Staircase.

Andy joked: "I'm quite relieved that I didn't have to judge the competition - luckily I got out of doing the hard part because from what I have seen of all the entries, the standard was stunning.

"The kids put a lot of effort, imagination and creativity in. I would have hated John's job of having to actually choose the winner.

Andy McCluskey talks to pupils during special assembly at Great Meols Primary School on Tuesday, January 8 (Image: Craig Manning / Newsquest)"The winning design makes sense to me, because it's testament to the fact the best ideas are the most simple ones that punch above their weight. The winning design was a very simple idea, brilliantly executed.

During the assembly last Tuesday (January 8) Andy McCluskey presented deputy headteacher Ben Parker with framed picture of the famous red phone box on nearby Greenwood Road, from which the band made their bookings for gigs in the early days. The picture was signed by Andy and John Petch, who chose the winning design (Image: Craig Manning / Newsquest)"I think anything that encourages creativity in any form is a plus. Let's be honest, there's a lot of talk about creativity not being encouraged in some schools these days but even if you don't make a living out of it, creativity feeds your soul."

Andy McCluskey talks to pupils at Great Meols Primary School during special assembly on Tuesday, January 8 (Image: Craig Manning / Newsquest)John added: "The imagination and creative potential of a child is amazing. You never know, that child could then go on to become an artist in their own right.

"For me, it's about encouraging children as much as possible to take up art.

"Every piece of art that was done for the competition was valid. They were all very good."

Steph McCahill, of Wirral OMD fan group Friends of 632 3003, said: "I think the school would be quite keen to do this again and there have been talks about potentially doing so, but that's a conversation for another day.

"From a Friends point of view, we were very, very keen to do something local. It was all very much about community, because that phone box is right in the centre of the community in which OMD came from.

During the assembly last Tuesday (January 8) deputy headteacher Ben Parker was presented with a framed picture of the famous red phone box on nearby Greenwood Road, from which the band made their bookings for gigs in the early days (Image: Craig Manning / Newsquest)

“We were really keen to go back to the roots of OMD, where Andy and Paul went to school, to encourage pupils to think about OMD and how they could design a cover for one of the band’s album’s differently.

“We’ve been absolutely overwhelmed by the quality of the amount of entries and the amount of kids that submitted an entry.

Andy McCluskey revisits the music room at Great Meols Primary School following special assembly on Tuesday, January 8 (Image: Craig Manning / Newsquest)

“We thought we’d get about 20 – 30 entries, but 110? That’s amazing.”

The school’s deputy headteacher Ben Parker said: “The children were really excited to have the opportunity to create some artwork that will be displayed in the local community.”

Recalling his time at Great Meols, Andy told the Globe: "I grew up in School Lane across the road from the old school, so was able to just get up at 8.30am and walk to school.

"When Great Meols opened up, it was the long walk down Guffitts Rake, which was interminable on a cold day.

"I lived in Meols until I was 23. Paul came to Meols when he was seven when his mother moved here.

"Paul came here when he was seven and was in the year, academically, behind me. So we weren't 'bezzy' mates but knew each other.

"It was only really when we were teenagers that we started to do things together musically".

The 64-year-old recalled, with a laugh: "Paul and I got kicked out of recorder group because we were miming and didn't really know how to play it.

"It just goes to show that cheating doesn't pay, but when you do actually put the effort in, like we did when we teenagers, it goes on to pay rewards. So, there's a moral to the story.

"Paul, to this day, has framed - because his mother kept it - his school report from the last year he was here. Under music, it reads 'Paul has absolutely no aptitude for music'.

"Just shows you how wrong people can be."