AN inventive schoolgirl has used her artistic skills to design a robot that aims to help keep humans and animals safe.
Marnie Dickson, from Kilbarchan, is the overall winner of the Design a Robot competition, organised by Renfrewshire Libraries.
The eight-year-old has now been presented with her prize of an iPad, donated by Renfrew-based business Altrad Babcock, which also sponsored the contest.
Participants were asked to draw their own robot and explain why their creation should win the competition.
Marnie's Safety Bot protect humans and animals using several arms, which have attached to them a hose attached to put out fires, a First Aid kit, bags of animal food and a lollipop stick used by school crossing patrols.
She told The Gazette: "I like drawing and I got my idea for the robot because I like animals, my mum's a nurse and when I walk to school there are two lollipop people helping me cross the road."
Rebecca McFarlane, of Altrad Babcock, said: "Altrad Babcock were pleased to support OneRen libraries to encourage children to get involved in their competition.
"When it came to choosing a winner, Marnie's Safety Bot really stood out as safety is our number one value here at Altrad Babcock.
"Marnie's attention to detail and creative design had the winning edge. Congratulations again to Marnie."
Joyce Higgins, digital and library development manager at OneRen, said: "We were amazed by the ingenious and creative designs from the hundreds of entries we received.
"Each library selected a winner, who received a goody bag containing a science kit.
"But Marnie was a worthy overall winner, as her robot design showed she had put a lot of thought into how her robot could help both people and animals."
Schoolkids who declared winners at their individual libraries were Camilla Dixon (Bridge of Weir Library), Emily Castle (Paisley Central Library), Stella Cooper (Bishopton Library), Eilidh Paton (Lochwinnoch Library), Lewis Thorrat (Foxbar Library), Lucy Crerar (Skoobmobile), Alexander Kirkland-Donald (Erskine Library), Astrid Gibson (Glenburn Library), Troy Knowles (Renfrew Library), Samuel Embuka (Linwood Library), Daisy Masterton (Ralston Library) and Miina Abraouz (Ferguslie Park Library).
The Design a Robot competition was part of Gadgeteers Summer Reading Challenge 2022, delivered by Renfrewshire Libraries in partnership with the Reading Agency.
There were 2,705 children who signed up for the challenge, with certificates awarded to everyone who participated and medals to those who read six books or more.
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