Help us create a Hospice mascot!

Calling all young imaginations! Are you a budding young artist? Or do you know one?

At NI Hospice, kindness, care and support are at the heart of everything we do. Now, we’re looking for a very special character to help bring those values to life – and we need the help of young local artists to create it!

We’re inviting children aged 16 and under to design an official NI Hospice mascot. This friendly character could be anything you can dream up: a cuddly animal, a magical creature, a superhero, or something completely unique. There are no limits to your imagination – the only rule is that your design must be hand-drawn (no AI-generated images).

We’d love to hear the story behind your creation too. What is your mascot called? What makes them kind, caring and helpful? How do they spread smiles and support to others?

One talented young designer will see their artwork transformed into a real, life-sized NI Hospice mascot, helping to bring joy to patients, families, supporters and local communities. Imagine seeing your character come to life and become part of the Hospice family!

How to Enter

All drawings should be designed on an A4 sheet of paper. Please include the following information with your entry:

• Parent or guardian’s name
• Contact email address and/or telephone number
• Child’s first name and age

You can submit your design in one of two ways:

By post to: Mascot Design Competition c/o Marketing, NI Hospice, 74 Somerton Road, Belfast BT15 3LH

By email: Scan your mascot design and send it to events@nihospice.org

The closing date for entries is 31 October 2026. By entering, you give permission for NI Hospice to share and use the design in Hospice communications, including social media and publications. Please see below for full Terms and Conditions.

We can’t wait to see the wonderful characters you create. Good luck, and happy drawing!

Mascot Art Competition - Terms and Conditions

1. Promoter
• The competition is organised and promoted by Northern Ireland Hospice (aka “the Hospice”).
2. Eligibility
• The competition is open to children aged under 16 years on the competition start date of 23 June 2026.
• Entrants may be required to provide proof of age if requested.
• Employees, trustees, volunteers, and immediate family members of the Hospice may enter unless otherwise stated, but may be excluded from judging where a conflict of interest exists.
3. Parental/Guardian Consent
• All entries submitted by persons under 16 must have the consent of a parent or legal guardian.
• By submitting an entry, the parent or guardian confirms that they have read and accepted these Terms and Conditions on behalf of the entrant.
4. Competition Period
• Entries must be received by the stated closing date and time.
• Late, incomplete, illegible, or damaged entries may not be considered.
5. Entry Requirements
• Entries must be the original work of the entrant.
• Entries must not contain material that is offensive, defamatory, discriminatory, unlawful, or infringes the rights of any third party.
• The Hospice reserves the right to disqualify any entry that does not comply with these Terms and Conditions.
6. Judging
• Entries will be judged by a panel appointed by the Hospice.
• Judging criteria may include creativity, originality, artistic merit, and relevance to the competition theme.
• The judges' decision is final and binding, and no correspondence or discussion regarding the outcome will be entered into.
7. Prizes
• Prizes are non-transferable and no cash alternative will be offered unless otherwise stated by the Hospice.
• The Hospice reserves the right to substitute a prize with one of equal or greater value if circumstances require.
8. Publicity and Promotion
• By entering the competition, entrants and their parent/guardian agree that the Hospice may use the entrant's name, age, school (if applicable), photograph, and details of their entry for publicity, promotional, fundraising, and marketing purposes without additional payment.
• This may include use in printed materials, exhibitions, press releases, websites, social media channels, and other media.
• Entrants may be invited to participate in reasonable publicity activities relating to the competition.
9. Copyright and Intellectual Property
• By entering the competition, the entrant and their parent/guardian assign all copyright and intellectual property rights in the submitted artwork to the Hospice.
• The Hospice shall have the unrestricted right to reproduce, publish, display, adapt, modify, distribute, and otherwise use the artwork in any media worldwide and for any purpose, including fundraising, promotional, educational, and commercial activities, without further permission or payment.
• The entrant waives any moral rights to the extent permitted by law.
10. Use and Retention of Artwork
• All submitted artwork becomes the property of the Hospice upon submission.
• The Hospice reserves the right to retain, display, reproduce, archive, or dispose of submitted entries at its discretion.
• The Hospice is under no obligation to return artwork to entrants.
11. Data Protection
• Personal information supplied during the course of the competition will be processed by the Hospice for the purposes of administering the competition and related activities.
• Personal data will be handled in accordance with applicable data protection legislation and the Hospice's privacy policy.
12. Liability
• The Hospice accepts no responsibility for lost, delayed, damaged, misdirected, or incomplete entries.
• To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Hospice shall not be liable for any loss, damage, or injury arising from participation in the competition or acceptance of any prize.
13. Right to Amend or Cancel
• The Hospice reserves the right to amend, suspend, or cancel the competition where necessary due to circumstances beyond its reasonable control.
14. Disqualification
• The Hospice reserves the right to disqualify any entrant who breaches these Terms and Conditions or who is found to have provided false information.
15. Acceptance of Terms
• Submission of an entry constitutes acceptance of these Terms and Conditions by the entrant and their parent or guardian.
16. Governing Law
• These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Northern Ireland, and any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Northern Ireland.