And the winner is…

The GDST reveals the 2020 Alumna of the Year Award

We are delighted to announce that this year’s Alumna of the Year award goes to Louisa Blake, founder of social initiative, Looby Lou’s Lovely Lunches, and an alumna of Birkenhead High School Academy.

 Louisa’s story struck a unique chord with voters

Accepting her award, Louisa said, “I would just like to say how grateful I am for receiving the GDST Alumna of the Year 2020 award. Whenever I look at the award, I get butterflies in my stomach and goose bumps – because to represent Birkenhead High School as Alumna of the Year is something really to be very proud of.”

Louisa’s story struck a unique chord with voters. Assistant head teacher at a primary school in the Wirral, Louisa set up Looby Lou’s Lovely Lunches to deliver lunches during school holidays to children who would otherwise be going hungry. She noticed how some pupils’ behaviours changed before holiday-time, as they faced the uncertainty of not having a regular meal each day. And having had difficult times in her own early childhood, she understood this only too well.

Louisa was already a volunteer for the Wirral’s Homeless CIC, and this in part is what inspired her to set up Looby Lou’s Lovely Lunches. She started by delivering packed lunches to 150 children who would normally receive free school meals, and has built it to the point where now, for six weeks in the summer, two at Christmas and two at Easter, she and her team make over 250 lunches a day throughout the holiday periods. Looby Lou does not receive any formal funding, relying on the kindness of friends, family and volunteers.