The Diana Award winners were announced at a ceremony this week, to recognise those young people who have gone above and beyond in their work to support others. Lower Sixth student Olivia Gioffredo received her prestigious accolade in recognition of her outstanding commitment to creating and sustaining positive change in her community. This year, the Diana Award received over 1,700 nominations, making it the most competitive year to date.
#keepitkind campaign
Over the past 18 months, Olivia has spearheaded the #keepitkind campaign, spreading kindness and fostering social impact. Through this initiative, she has inspired approximately 2,000 primary school children with her acts of kindness, including volunteering, fundraising, and distributing handmade gift bags to strangers. Her school presentations encourage children to become “Raktivists” (Random Act of Kindness activists) and take part in initiatives like “Kindness Rocks.”
Mrs Céline Winmill, Housemistress of Murrell, said: “ I became aware of all the work that Olivia has been doing both inside and outside of school: promoting kindness within the House, raising awareness of the charities she has been supporting (ie. Beauties for a Cause, #Keepitkind), whilst working hard towards her four A-levels, plus her music and academic scholarship commitments. My predecessor, Mrs Buhagiar, was right in recommending and supporting Olivia with this award and I am delighted that Olivia’s unrelenting efforts and conviction have paid off.”
Raising over £4,500 for charity
In addition to her outreach work, Olivia has openly shared her personal journey with OCD and anxiety, using her platform to teach children the value of self-care and resilience. Her efforts have raised over £4,500 for various charities, coordinated numerous community service projects, and established a growing network of 40 young women dedicated to supporting local initiatives.
Dr Tessy Ojo CBE, CEO of The Diana Award, said: “We warmly congratulate our new Diana Award recipients from across the world who are dedicating their time to making positive change. These young people demonstrate that they have the power to change the world – a belief that Diana, Princess of Wales, held dearly.”
Linking closely to one of Epsom’s core values: kindness, the College commends Olivia for her remarkable achievements and her inspiring commitment to making the world a kinder place.
