A former head girl at Kew House School was invited to speak at Buckingham Palace after being selected as the Young Speaker at this year's Duke of Edinburgh's Award Gold Award Celebration.

Freya, who is now studying Law at the University of Warwick, addressed guests alongside HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and athlete and broadcaster Billy Monger during the event, which marked the 70th anniversary of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.

The celebration recognised young people who have completed the Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award – the highest level of the programme.

Reflecting on the experience, Freya said: "I hugely enjoyed reflecting on the highs and lows of my DofE journey and if you had told little shy Freya when she first started DofE that she would go on to speak in front of thousands, she would have been in complete disbelief to learn where I am now."

One of the highlights of her Gold Award journey was completing the residential section of the programme in Washington DC, where she took part in a leadership course for deaf young people.

She added: "It was the first time I had been surrounded by others who shared my experience, which was incredibly meaningful."

Kew House School Headmaster Will Williams said: "Freya represents the very best of our Kew House School community—driven, resilient, and supportive of those around her.

"We are all incredibly proud of her accomplishments and cannot wait to see what she achieves next."

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As part of her award, Freya also raised almost £3,000 for a charity supporting deaf children by completing a half marathon and volunteered more than 50 hours at a Shelter charity shop.

She continued: "The experiences it gave me helped me grow in confidence, meet incredible people and challenge myself in ways I never expected. Ultimately, it led to opportunities like speaking at Buckingham Palace, which is something I could never have imagined when I first started."

Offering advice to current students taking part in the award, Freya added: "I would encourage students to step out of their comfort zone and make the most of the experience."

Kew House School congratulated Freya on her achievement, describing her journey from a shy participant to a confident public speaker as an inspiration for current and future pupils.

To learn more about Kew House School click here.

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