The Girls’ Day School Trust, along with Nottingham Girls’ High School, were delighted to award June Spencer the GDST Exceptional Contribution award in July 2022, which is especially poignant this year with the GDST celebrating its 150th year.

June has been bestowed this award due to her remarkable achievements and the longevity of her services to broadcasting. June has recently retired from playing the much loved  character, Peggy Woolley, in the famous BBC radio series, The Archers. She recorded her last episode at the age of 103, demonstrating her continued commitment and passion for the Arts. June started working for the BBC in 1943 as part of Children’s Hour and has enjoyed working for the corporation ever since. 

 

 

June has been a key character in The Archers since its very first episode in 1950 and until she recently retired, was the only remaining original cast member. Her total of 65 years in the role makes her the second longest-serving actor in a soap opera worldwide.  June has shown immense commitment to the programme and her character Peggy has voiced some of the show’s strongest storylines including hard hitting topics such as gambling, bereavement and alcohol addiction.

 

 

June completed her education at Nottingham Girls’ High School almost 90 years ago, in 1934. She left at the age of 15 to pursue a career in the Arts. Her dream to become an actress meant she left school early, although her initial request to leave school was denied by the Headmistress at the time, Miss Phillips.  When June did leave school she remembers standing in the Headmistress’s office with Miss Phillips saying to her, “you’ll never make anything of yourself without your certificate.” How wrong Miss Phillips was, and how differently she would have been supported today!

 

 

It’s wonderful to see that June has gone on to have such an illustrious career.  It’s clear to see that she embodies everything that both the GDST and NGHS stand for. She has passion, determination, and a true love of life. She is a trailblazer in the Arts and a fabulous role model to our students, showing that age doesn’t define you and that there are no limits to what we can all achieve.