When I was invited by my old school, St Joseph’s College, to be guest of honour at the end-of-term prize-giving ceremony, I was both thrilled and terrified.

At the mention of the words ‘speech’ and ‘PowerPoint’ my blood ran cold. I was being asked to give a presentation in front of the school – and parents – and I felt sick with nerves. It didn’t help when I learned that last year’s speaker was a mountain climber who had “exciting visuals”.

Although gripped by fear, I heard myself saying: “I’d love to do it.” I felt honoured and touched to be invited to my old school. My brief was to deliver an inspiring presentation, aimed at the pupils. But I soon realised I had little idea of what teenage girls are into these days. Back when I was a St Joseph’s girl, you had Simon Le Bon or Adam Ant on your bedroom wall, but times have changed since then.

I imagined rows of bored teenagers, yawning and popping bubble-gum, (not that St Joseph’s girls would do such things).

The thought of a PowerPoint presentation gave me palpitations, but thankfully a friend who does regular business presentations helped me put together some “visuals” that, fingers crossed, would work on the night.

When I arrived at the school for a dry run, I was alarmed to see a huge screen on stage; it looked too slick and hi-tech for my hastily-assembled collection of images. Looking out at endless rows of chairs which, in a few hours, would be filled with people, I actually gulped. “I’d rather do a parachute jump,” I squeaked.

When the ceremony started that evening, my first task was presenting 200 prizes to pupils. I feared skidding across the stage in my heels and tumbling into the neatly-sorted piles of prizes, but I held it together.

By the time I gave my speech, I was more relaxed and it seemed to go well. Afterwards, I was presented with a bouquet of flowers and I had some lovely comments from people. I felt like a film star! A couple of sixth-formers said I was an inspiration, which is one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me.

I was just relieved I’d managed to get through it without fluffing my words, tripping up or freezing with stage-fright.

It was lovely being back at school, among some of my old teachers. I’d faced one of my biggest fears – public speaking – and come through in one piece.

Sometimes you have to do something that frightens the life out of you. Now, about that parachute jump…