Anti-knife crime campaigner Sarah Lloyd has graduated with a Masters degree from the University of Leeds - a moment she says she could never have imagined a decade ago.
The mum of four was devastated when her 17-year-old son Kieran was fatally stabbed in the street in Harehills in 2013. Now she has graduated with a Masters in Social Research thanks to support from the Lifelong Learning Centre.
“I never thought that studying at University was something within my reach as a single mum on benefits,” she said.
As she tried to piece her life back together, Sarah visited the University of Leeds through an outreach initiative. “It was a lightbulb moment,” said Sarah. “I’d always thought that universities were for the young and rich – not for people like me. But I fell in love with the Brotherton Library and didn’t want to leave.”
She attended a summer taster course in 2016 with the Lifelong Learning Centre which helped her with funding applications. She was enrolled onto a Foundation degree course within six weeks. “It was an amazing opportunity and I never looked back,” said Sarah.
I am so proud to be graduating and to have my family here to celebrate this special moment.
She went on to gain a BA in Professional Studies following the Foundation course, and progressed to a Masters focusing on a comparative analysis of knife crime initiatives in England and Scotland.
“Throughout my undergraduate and Masters degrees I have been reliant on the Lifelong Learning Centre for emotional support and academic encouragement and guidance. They have been amazing and I have made lifelong friends with both staff and students there,” she said.
“I am so proud to be graduating and to have my family here to celebrate this special moment.”
Sarah with her family (from left: daughter Susan, grandson Kieran and sons Jon and Robert).
Sarah co-created and featured in an award-winning film launched by Tell Studio last year entitled ‘Cut Short – Fighting against Knives in the North’ in which she describes her trauma to warn young people about the tragic consequences of carrying knives.
Since Kieran died she has worked tirelessly to drive home the message and has delivered teaching packages in schools as well as talks to young offenders and community groups to help vulnerable people avoid the culture of carrying a knife.
She has also described the impact of Kieran’s murder in an audio book called ‘Life without Kie.’ This was her nickname for Kieran.
I want to make life better for young people caught up in violence. They need to be encouraged to take a different path.
She believes her University education has given her academic insight to complement her lived experience.
Her documentary and teaching package on knife crime, gang crime and criminal exploitation is now available in the Violence Reduction Unit’s schools’ resources. There are nine regional VRUs but the resources can be obtained by any school or youth organisation in the country.
“I am now a resourceful violence reduction practitioner and am hungry to continue my research and expand on the content I provide,” said Sarah.
“I am always striving to push myself further to make social change and so I want to do a PhD. I want to make life better for young people caught up in violence – especially girls who seem to be joining gangs in growing numbers. They need to be encouraged to take a different path.”
Sarah is celebrating a milestone birthday and believes age is no barrier to improving your life prospects.
Further information
For more information contact Jane Lewis at j.lewis3@leeds.ac.uk or the University of Leeds press office.