Pupils get good advice over coin design

A NORFOLK teacher whose design work is handled by millions of people every day has been helping students on the road to Olympic success.More than 10 years ago Bruce Rushin was given a national profile when he entered and won a competition to design the �2 coin.

A NORFOLK teacher whose design work is handled by millions of people every day has been helping students on the road to Olympic success.

More than 10 years ago Bruce Rushin was given a national profile when he entered and won a competition to design the �2 coin. His design remains in circulation today, used daily across the country.

Now he has been helping Year Seven youngsters at Stalham High School, where he teaches part time, create designs for the 50p coin to celebrate the Olympic Games in London in 2012.

The competition, for under 13s, is being run by Blue Peter in association with the Royal Mint, which is also running competitions for ages 13 and above and for adults.

“It's good fun and nice to do something that's real,” said Mr Rushin, who has also entered the adult competition with one of his designs. “It would be great if they got the chance to see their design made into a proper coin.”

And of his own success back in the mid 1990s, he added: “It's still absolutely terrific to see the coin in circulation.

“I still enjoy seeing a nice shiny new coin and have kept one of the 2008 dated ones.”