And the winners are ...
Senior School
The GDST has announced this year's winners of the 2020 Alumna of the Year, Trailblazer and Exceptional Contribution Awards.
Launched in 2011, the annual GDST Alumna of the Year Awards recognise and reward the many varied achievements of GDST alumnae. All staff and students are encouraged to submit nominations from which a shortlist is drawn up, and then voting by all GDST staff, students and alumnae begins. Winners are interviewed for the alumnae magazine, GDST Girl for Life, and receive £500 to donate to a charity of their choice.
Looby Lou's Lovely Lunches
The GDST are delighted to announce that this year’s Alumna of the Year award goes to Louisa Blake, founder of social initiative, Looby Lou’s Lovely Lunches, and an alumna of Birkenhead High School Academy.
Accepting her award, Louisa said, “I would just like to say how grateful I am for receiving the GDST Alumna of the Year 2020 award. Whenever I look at the award, I get butterflies in my stomach and goose bumps – because to represent Birkenhead High School as Alumna of the Year is something really to be very proud of.”
Making a difference
The 2020 Alumna of the Year Trailblazer Award goes to Chloe Smith, co-founder of a homeless charity
The GDST are delighted to announce that this year’s Trailblazer award goes to Chloe Smith, co-founder of the Bigmoose coffee shop, a Cardiff-based charity helping to train, mentor and employ vulnerable people in the city. Chloe is an alumna of Howell’s School, Llandaff.
Accepting her award, Chloe said, “I am genuinely honoured to have won this GDST Trailblazer award. Thank you so much. The GDST have played such a huge part in my story so far, and I hope forever more. I am honoured to have won and I really hope that this award can inspire the students of the GDST today to achieve their dreams and their potential, and to know that anything is possible.”
There’s nothing like a Dame
The 2020 Alumna of the Year Award for Exceptional Contribution goes to Dame Rosemary Squire OBE.
Dame Rosemary Squire OBE has been presented with the GDST’s prestigious Exceptional Contribution Award by Julie Keller, Head of Nottingham Girls’ High School, in recognition of the truly outstanding support she has given to NGHS and the GDST in general, as well as her wider philanthropic work across the arts sector.
Accepting her award, Dame Rosemary said, “This is a wonderful thing to receive – thank you – much appreciated. I am truly honoured, and I am especially pleased that you are awarding this to me here on the stage back in Nottingham, in Arboretum Street, where it all began all those years ago.”