Countryfile host and adventurer Helen Skelton was guest of honour at prep school Belmont Grosvenor’s annual Speech Day.
The Yorkshire-based mum-of-three inspired pupils from nursery to Year 6 with her tales from the Amazon to Antarctica.
Ms Skelton told pupils:
“Life is about challenges, and life is about taking risks. It doesn’t matter what other people think, what other people think you can and can’t do. You can be anything you want.
Co-educational prep school Belmont Grosvenor is based at Swarcliffe Hall in Birstwith.
Former Blue Peter presenter Ms Skelton, currently fronting Channel 5’s Summer on the Farm, described the school’s setting as “incredible” and praised its outdoor learning ethos.
She shared secrets from some of her most famous challenges, from kayaking the Amazon to becoming only the second woman to complete the Namibia Ultra Marathon.
“I’d never run for 10 minutes, never mind 80 miles in 23 hours. I set my GPS every five miles to zero, and I did another five miles and another five miles until I reached 80!” she said.
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Acting Head Emma Shea told the Speech Day audience the school had recorded higher than national average results for all classes from year 2 to 6 in English and maths.
Ms Shea, who leaves BGS at the end of the academic year after 16 years, praised pupils for their hard work and, with the help of Ms Skelton, handed out prizes for a wide range of achievements from science and maths awards to the kindness and consideration cup.
