Prize Giving & Speech Day Speaker
Inspiring talks for prize givings, speech days and assembliesA guest speaker your students will remember
Looking for a guest speaker for your prize giving, speech day or start-of-year assembly? Anna McNuff is an endurance adventurer, former Great Britain rower and bestselling author. She has spoken to more than 10,000 students in the UK, Europe, the USA and New Zealand.
Her talks leave students, parents and staff buzzing, and send leavers off ready to think big, be brave and take on their own adventures. Anna is always happy to present the prizes and do all the hand shaking, too.
Anna takes a small number of school bookings each year, and prize giving dates go quickly, so it's worth getting in touch early: speaking@annamcnuff.com
Your prize giving or speech day talk
A 20-minute keynote, or a 45-minute extended version, tailored to your school's values and the year you're celebrating. Anna shares the highs and lows of running 2,352 miles barefoot across Britain, cycling 5,500 miles through the Andes and 11,000 miles across the USA, with plenty of humour along the way.
Themes include:
- Resilience: the harder you fall, the higher you bounce back
- Self-belief: the confidence to dream big
- Positivity: choosing your attitude
- Fear: embracing the unknown
- Passion: turning interests into action
"Think big, be brave, pursue your passions and have the courage to seek out new challenges as often as possible."
What schools say
“What you’ve achieved is truly remarkable, and it’s wonderful for our girls to hear stories of such strength and determination as they leave the school and start on their own adventures.”Headmistress, St Swithun’s School
“All of those in the Throne Room raved about you! Having you as our speaker really made the day extra special for the young people.”Duke of Edinburgh Gold Awards, St James’s Palace
“It can be hard to capture the students’ attention in the first week back after the summer, but you really connected with our girls. They were hanging off your every word.”Headmistress, Sherborne School, Dorset
“Anna won over the Year 11 crowd from the moment she bounced onto the stage. She is a fantastic role model for young women.”Waldegrave Girls’ School, Twickenham
“The whole school was buzzing for days after you left.”The International School, Geneva
“She taught me not to fixate on a “perfect life”, but instead to find ourselves in our life journey and pursue fulfilment and happiness.”Sixth Form Student, Westminster School
Other school occasions
As well as prize givings and speech days, Anna speaks at:
- Start-of-year assemblies and inset days
- Leavers’ events
- Sports and boat club dinners
- Evening talks for students and parents
She speaks to all ages, from primary school to sixth form, and adapts every talk to the audience in the room.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Can Anna McNuff speak at our prize giving or speech day?
Yes. Prize givings and speech days are Anna’s favourite school events. She gives a 20-minute keynote (or a longer version if you prefer), and is happy to present the prizes and shake every hand afterwards.
How long is Anna’s school talk?
Talks run from 20 minutes to 1 hour. For prize givings and speech days, most schools choose the 20-minute keynote.
Which ages does Anna speak to?
All ages, from primary school pupils to sixth formers and leavers, as well as parents and staff. Each talk is tailored to the audience and your school’s values.
Does Anna speak at schools outside the UK?
Yes. Anna has spoken at schools in Switzerland, the USA, Australia and New Zealand, including the International School of Geneva and Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil.
How do we book Anna for our school?
Email speaking@annamcnuff.com with your event date, location and audience. Prize giving dates are popular, so it’s worth getting in touch early.
Book Anna for your school
Say hello at speaking@annamcnuff.com
Handy to include: your event date, the school’s location, the age of the audience and roughly how many will be there.