Schoolgirl Alysa wins award for charity work
A CYNON Valley teenager has been awarded one of the most prestigious prizes for young people in the UK.
Alysa Neads, 15, was handed the Diana Award – an award founded in the memory of Princess Diana for young people – for her incredible charity work.
Mountain Ash Comprehensive School pupil Alysa led a team of three peers in putting on 12 charitable events in the local community, undertaking 97 hours of social action and raising £2,058 for her chosen cause, the Lee Gardens Pool in Penrhiwceiber, in just eight weeks.
Her team also went on to win the £1,000 First Give grant in the school competition final, taking the total raised for the pool to more than £3,000.
“It’s lovely to know that she’s following in the footsteps of her great-grandmother, who was an MBE,” said Diane Locke, Alysa’s grandmother and secretary at the Lee Gardens Pool. “It’s lovely to know that she’s giving something back and working in the community.”
Alysa’s mother, Joanne Neads, said: “We’re all really pleased, really happy.
“To see her doing the videos for the awards as well, and the confidence she did that with, I was really proud of her.”
Mr David Church, who nominated Alysa for the award, said: “I am bursting with pride. Absolutely overwhelming.”
Mr Church added that the reason why nominating Alysa was so important is the fact that she has given so much to her local community without any expectation of a reward.
“She’s just been so humble,” he said, describing how, even as the momentum picked up and Alysa raised more and more money for the Lee
Gardens Pool, she remained modest about her achievement.
During a virtual graduation ceremony, the recipients were commended by Prince Harry and, after the awards ceremony, Mr Church and Mr Badman surprised Alysa with video messages of congratulations, the highlight of which was a “beautiful” personal message from TV star Carol Vorderman.
Alysa also received a letter of congratulations from Wales’ Education Minister Kirsty Williams.
Alysa is now part of the Diana Award Family and will undertake their mentoring programme.
Earl Spencer has extended her family an invite to visit Althorpe house, the childhood home of Princess Diana, and Alysa has also been nominated for a Diana Legacy Award for 2021