A number of famous faces provided a special surprise for Year 6 pupils at Rydal Penrhos during a milestone event.

Rydal Penrhos Prep School staff enlisted the help of some celebrity names to lend support during their virtual Year 6 Speech Day, which was held on Friday, July 17 in a socially distanced setting.

One of those who provided a video message was Rupert Moon, a former Welsh rugby union international who gained 24 caps for his country.

Another notable contribution came from TV presenter Gethin Jones, who has featured on shows such as Blue Peter and virtually presented the Head Boy and Head Girl prizes to Rupert Barrington-Chance and Fleur Roberts.

The final celebrity message came from This Morning presenter Eamonn Holmes, who wished each member of Year 6 well on the next stage of their journey and encouraged them to enjoy the experience even though the trip up to senior school “might seem daunting”.

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This was the culmination of an unprecedented academic year for the group thanks to the coronavirus lockdown, and although they have missed out on some of their end of term activities, this was the perfect way to sign off their time at the Prep School.

Jamie McLeod, Year 6 tutor and Head of Games at Rydal Penrhos, said: “The pupils were extremely excited to get some surprise messages from celebrity figures, and it further added to the overall success of the event.

“They have taken everything in their stride this year and been a real credit to themselves and the school.”