Princess Diana award for Wolverhampton Grammar School student
A teenager who has followed her mother's advice to "always be kind" has been recognised with The Diana Award, one of the highest accolades a young person can achieve for social action or humanitarian efforts.
Olivia Meeds, aged 18, has gained the award for going above and beyond in her daily life to help create and sustain positive changes.
The award was established in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales and is given out by the charity of the same name with the support of both her sons, the Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex.
Olivia, a pupil at Wolverhampton Girls High School, who plans to study for a teaching degree at Shrewsbury, has held the position of Anti-Bullying Ambassador for the past six years.
In her role she has supported students struggling with bullying, run training sessions with other ambassadors and raised awareness and money for anti-bullying charities. She has also run anti-bullying workshops with primary schools.
Olivia has also trained 18 ambassadors, having designed the training including resources from The Diana Award and MHFA England.
As part of this she created training packs, activities and resources for students, tailoring them to each year group.
Olivia said: "When I was younger I remember being a victim of cyber-bullying and just how I felt and I just wanted to help others.
"I am immensely delighted to gain this award."
Her mother, Marie Samuels-Meeds, aged 50, said: "As a child I always told her to be kind and I am so very proud of her achievement."
Tessy Ojo, chief executive officer of The Diana Award, said: “We congratulate all our new Diana Award recipients from the UK and all over the globe who are change-makers for their generation.
"We know by receiving this honour they will inspire more young people to get involved in their communities and begin their own journey as active citizens.
"For over twenty years The Diana Award has valued and invested in young people encouraging them to continue to make positive change in their communities and lives of others.”
