Sophia Jones from Pontypridd, winner of Cardiff City FC Community Foundation’s ‘Car of the Future’ Design Challenge, was recognised in spectacular style at the fifth anniversary of the Child of Wales Awards.

The Ascona Group Child of Wales Awards celebrated its fifth anniversary in spectacular style on Friday, October 2, bringing together 700 guests at Swansea Building Society Arena to honour the incredible achievements of children and young people from across Wales.

Recognised for her commitment to the environment, Sophia, a former pupil of Coedpenmaen Primary School, was spotlighted thanks to a creative competition run by Cardiff City FC Community Foundation in partnership with iconic car manufacturer Lotus and its authorised retailer, HR Owen.

Hosted by BBC Morning Live presenter Gethin Jones for the fifth consecutive year, the glamorous awards ceremony saw Sophia’s school staff, City-mad family members and representatives from Cardiff City FC Community Foundation come together to celebrate Sophia and her design, while discussing the importance of inspiring young people to play a role in protecting the planet and leading by example.

The Child of Wales Awards covers every part of Wales and recognises young people who face hardships and challenges, as well as those who champion causes in their communities, protect the environment, care for others and fundraise.

Guests included Love Island stars Scott van-der-Sluis, Leanne Amaning and Ciaran Davies, alongside BBC radio presenters Bronwen Lewis and Justine Jones. The evening opened with a performance from the Child of Wales Awards Choir. Former Britain's Got Talent semi-finalist Lucciano Mortimore, the awards' first Young Ambassador, then took to the stage with his grandad, Frankie, and mum, Marisa Mortimore.

The creative competition, supported by sponsorship from Lotus, invited primary-aged pupils from across South Wales to reimagine what the cars of tomorrow might look like by designing a futuristic vehicle.

Sophia's winning entry imagined a solar-panelled, self-driving electric sports car with eco-friendly wheels designed for an ultra-smooth ride. The judging panel praised the way her design balanced futuristic styling with principles found in next-generation electric vehicle engineering, capturing exactly what the challenge set out to inspire.

Last season, to spark inspiration, Lotus brought one of its models to selected Community Foundation partner schools across the region, including Coedpenmaen, giving pupils like Sophia the chance to explore a real example of how modern engineering and sustainability come together.

Sophia's design was one of seven entries shortlisted before being selected as the overall winner. Several local primary schools took part in the challenge, submitting drawings and presentations that included eco-friendly elements such as self-healing paint, airless tyres and built-in wind turbines. Other designs incorporated creative features, including integrated mini vacuum cleaners, face-ID recognition and drone assistance for navigating potholes.

Lee David, Sales Manager at Lotus Cardiff, commented:

"We launched this challenge because we wanted to show young people that the cars of tomorrow will be shaped by creative, curious minds, and the entries we received proved exactly that. Sophia's design was exceptional. It was thoughtful and ambitious. We're incredibly proud to have supported this partnership."

For Cardiff City FC Community Foundation, the official charity of Cardiff City Football Club, the challenge reflected its wider commitment to supporting learning and skills development across South Wales, and its belief that creativity and greener thinking belong in every classroom.

Luke Jenkins Jones, Head of Impact and Data at Cardiff City FC Community Foundation, shared:

"We'd like to extend our congratulations to Sophia and her family on this well-deserved recognition. As proud Cardiff City supporters, it was wonderful to see them celebrated at such a prestigious event.

“Sophia's design stopped us all in our tracks. A solar-panelled, self-driving electric car with eco-friendly wheels, from a primary school pupil. That's the kind of thinking that gives you real hope for the future.”

The Bluebirds' charity operates across seven local authority areas in South Wales, working to change lives and transform communities through the power of football. With the 'Car of the Future' Challenge aligning with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Week in Wales, the partnership provided a strong platform to inspire young local designers by connecting sustainable thinking to real-world scenarios.

Blanche Sainsbury, founder and CEO of the Child of Wales Awards, said:

"I am incredibly proud that the Child of Wales Awards has reached its fifth anniversary. To bring together 700 people to celebrate the remarkable achievements of children and young people from every corner of Wales is something very special.

"It is a privilege to give these incredible young people a platform and shine a light on all of the amazing things they have done, often in the face of challenges that no child should have to experience. Their resilience, kindness, courage and determination are an inspiration to us all. Along with the young people and their families, I'd like to thank all of our sponsors who help to make this annual event as special as it is."

Host Gethin Jones said:

"It's very special to be back hosting the Child of Wales Awards for a fifth year. Every year, I'm reminded of just how extraordinary the children and young people of Wales are and the incredible things they achieve, often in the face of huge challenges.

"To see these amazing children recognised and celebrated is a real privilege, and the awards have become such an important and much-loved event in the Welsh calendar. Blanche and Mark Sainsbury have created something truly amazing with the Child of Wales Awards, and it's fantastic to see how the event has grown over the past five years while keeping its focus firmly on celebrating the courage, determination and achievements of children across Wales."