Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust names the winner of its Kent Nature Photo Competition
Date added: 11 December 2025
Last updated: 11 December 2025
Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust has announced Alan Smithers as the winner of its Kent Nature Photo Competition for his image, Crystal Ball Wonders. His photo, taken at King's Wood near Challock in the Kent Downs area of outstanding natural beauty, will be displayed in a new garden space created for people experiencing a mental health crisis.
The competition invited people across Kent and Medway to share photos showing nature, calm, hope and warmth. A total of 147 entries were received. A staff judging panel selected 15 finalist images, which were then shown to patients who voted for their top six.
Graham Blackman, Deputy Director of Acute Mental Health Services, said:
“We were delighted by the support from our local community. The quality and variety of images made judging challenging but very enjoyable. The winning photo will help create a calm and supportive space for people when they need it most. Displayed in a garden space at our new Health-Based Place of Safety, which will provide a safe, therapeutic environment and help people feel respected, supported and importantly not alone.”
Alan, an amateur photographer, learned about the competition from his neighbour. After receiving a clear glass sphere as a birthday present, he began experimenting with it in woodland settings to explore the unusual reflections and shifted perspectives it creates. The competition gave him the perfect opportunity to share the results of those experiments.
Alan said:
“I am over the moon, I’ve not won anything before. Knowing that my photo could help calm someone in crisis means a great deal to me. If something I’ve created can help even one person feel a little better, that’s incredibly special.”
A patient who took part in the judging said:
"The image really caught my interest. It made me really look, and I felt calmer as I took it in. It feels peaceful and comforting, and that really mattered to me."
The winning photo, Crystal Ball Wonders, will be printed and displayed on the inside of a fencing around a garden space at the trust's new Health-Based Place of Safety facility. The new facility is currently under construction.
