Earlier this month, William de Ferrers School alumna, Dr Georgia Fleet, unveiled a Purple Plaque at the school to celebrate her winning a 2024 Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award for her invention of antimicrobial technology for medical devices to fight antimicrobial resistance.

The Purple Plaque campaign was created by Innovate UK in 2019 to inspire women and girls to pursue careers in STEM and innovation. It invites winners of the Women in Innovation Award to unveil a plaque at their former school to promote their achievements.As part of her visit, Dr Fleet hosted workshops for Key Stage 4 science and Key Stage 5 Business Studies students, where she shared her insight and expertise.

Dr Fleet said: “I was delighted to return to William de Ferrers to speak to students and unveil my Purple Plaque. Empowering women and girls to pursue careers in STEM is a mission I am deeply passionate about. I hope that the workshop sessions inspire students to pursue their goals, push back against negative stereotypes and use their voices for good.”

Jo McManus, Head of school, William de Ferrers, said: “We are dedicated to encouraging and nurturing our students to aim high and achieve their full potential. We are tremendously proud of Dr Georgia Fleet for her outstanding contribution to STEM and for inspiring the next generation of science pioneers. We hope that her plaque serves as a reminder to all our students that through hard work and dedication, they too can become the changemakers we need in this world.”

To find out more about Willam de Ferrers School, visit: https://www.wdf.school/