Former Corby school pupil awarded MBE

Amy Leonard, who grew up in Denford near Thrapston and went to Our Lady’s primary school in Corby, has been recognised for services to young people and education.

In 2009 she set up national education charity the Transformation Trust. The charity works with schools in disadvantaged parts of the country, providing programmes and opportunities that help young people discover what they are amazing at.

Amy, who plans to move back to Denford with her husband next year to bring up their family, said: “I am genuinely stunned to be receiving this honour and it is an absolute credit to the wider team who work for the Transformation Trust.

"It is their commitment and tireless efforts that have helped transform many, many lives over the last 10 years and I am incredibly proud to be part of that team.”

In the last 10 years, the Transformation Trust has worked with more than 600,000 young people aged between 11 and 19. The charity has partnered with blue-chip companies and major organisations such as Barclays, Dell, KPMG, M&G, Pret, the Royal Navy and Sky to deliver programmes in school that inspire and engage young people and help them build skills and confidence in themselves.

Every year, the charity also organises a major pop concert and careers fair called Rock Assembly at Wembley Arena. They also arrange to take groups of sixth formers who have an interest in politics out to the USA to work as interns in the US elections every four years.

UK students taking part in this programme in 2012 and 2016 have gone on to secure places at major universities, both in the UK and USA, including Harvard.