On Thursday 15 July the three winners of the We are England Photography Competition joined Dame Kelly Holmes for lunch at the Royal Commonwealth Club.

John Somerton, Nick Board and Joshua Tucker weren’t expecting to be interviewed by their host, but she was very keen to find out a bit more about why they entered and what they thought of England.

Questions posed by Dame Kelly Holmes, President, Commonwealth Games England:-

John Somerton from Harrogate

It was John’s 16th birthday and he said it wouldn’t be one he forgot in a hurry, his friends are all very envious!

Q: When did you decide to enter the completion?
A: When I saw it advertised on a photo website

Q: What enticed you to enter?
A: The prize!

Q: Where did you get your inspiration from for your wining photo?
A: The photo was taken at an exhibition of apples. I had looked at various photographs that gave me inspiration but really liked the photograph in black and white and then I decided to add the colour.

Q: How did you find out you had won?
A: I was notified by email.

Q: Who has come along with you on this trip?
A: My parents have come along and we have made a holiday of it – staying in Kensington and visiting Kew Gardens and the British Museum

Joshua Tucker from Fulham

Q:When did you decide to enter the completion?
A: My brother told me about it!

Q: What job do you do?
A: I am a freelance photographer – I have two main clients but do lots of other work.

Q: Where did you get your inspiration from for your wining photo?
A: The photos were taken originally for my Dad’s 60th birthday present and it gave me the inspiration as I felt the pictures represented ‘Englishness’. I won my first competition aged 9 when I coloured in a picture of Winnie the Pooh!

Q: How did you find out you had won?
A: I was notified by email and I went out and bought a whole roast chicken to celebrate with my brother!

Nick Board from Reading

Q: When did you decide to enter the completion?
A: Saw the competition advertised on a photography website

Q: What do you do for a job?
A: I am a chef at John Lewis department store but photography is my hobby and passion.  I'm glad not to be cooking lunch today!

Q: Where did you get your inspiration from for your wining photo?
A: On a day trip to Brighton – I felt that the pier fitted the brief of what represented ‘Englishness’.  I confess to using Photoshop to enhance the picture and to bring out the colours in the deckchairs.

Q: Have you won a competition before?
A: I have won trips to Thailand and Singapore! I tend to meet the same winners and one chap turned up even in Thailand!

Q: How did you find out you had won?
A: I was notified by email.

Q: Finally, what does Englishness mean to you?
John
Whenever I return from holiday I get the feeling of being welcomed back because the English are so friendly.  Also being from Yorkshire the countryside is so very quintessentially English.

Josh
Living somewhere that accepts everyone no matter what their nationality.

Nick
Living in a very open and diverse society but you can still find things that are purely English.