Sadly for us, but with some self-admitted relief from Diana that she wouldn’t have to speak in front of the whole school community, we have had to make Speech Day a virtual event this year. 

In true PF spirit, Diana kindly agreed to record a video instead about why she was chosen as the winner of the Old Girl of the Year Award 2020.


 

Diana Brooks, founder of the charity art exhibition Art for Youth has been awarded an MBE for services to Charity and Young People in the Queen’s New Year Honours List 2020.

Diana founded Art for Youth in 1987 in aid of the charity UK Youth, who supports disadvantaged and vulnerable young people, and to date the exhibition has raised approximately £1.7 million.

These funds have been integral to the evolution of UK Youth over the past 30 years. It has helped to achieve impressive outcomes for thousands of young people, often to those most in need of support. At the same time, the event gives young aspiring artists the chance to exhibit to a broad new audience. 

Every year Diana selects a young artist (under 35 years) that is exhibiting to receive The Diana Brooks Prize (£1,000). For many of the young, aspiring prize winners, this can make a massive difference.

Diana has also helped to raise over £100,000 for various charities in Leicestershire where she lives with her husband Richard and their three children, by running an annual concert in their field every summer.

In addition, Diana has established two further events in her home county of Leicestershire. The first is the annual Music in the Park at Wistow Hall raising much needed funds (between £3,000 and £20,000) for local charities.

The second, the popular tourist attraction Wistow Maze, attracting 20-30 thousand people a year and many of the local and national charities have benefitted.

Diana eventually picked up her MBE in October 2021, from Princess Anne, at Windsor Castle, after an 18 month wait due to Covid!

Congratulations, Diana Brooks MBE!