Fundraising campaigner and poet laureate receive university honorary degrees

Two of Birmingham's well-known figures have received Honorary Degrees from Birmingham Newman University.

Jasmine Gardosi Birmingham Poet Laureate has been made a Doctor of Letters alongside campaigner and fundraiser Lynne Baird MBE who is now a honorary Doctor of Education.

Both Jasmine and Lynne joined more than 1300 students at their graduation ceremonies at Symphony Hall, Birmingham on Monday 30 October.

Honorary degrees are granted in recognition of someone’s outstanding contribution, success and distinction within their profession or a campaign close to their hearts, with previous graduates including actors Rachel Shenton and Mark Williams as well as football referee Sian Massey-Ellis MBE.

Jasmine Gardosi is the Birmingham Poet Laureate. She is a multiple slam champion, beatboxer, winner of the Out-Spoken Prize for Poetry and winner of the Saboteur Award for Best Spoken Word Performer 2023.

Her work exploring identity, LGBTQ issues and mental health has appeared on Button Poetry, at the Tate Modern, Glastonbury Festival, Symphony Hall and BBC.

She was featured on Sky Arts’ BAFTA-winning show Life & Rhymes and her poem about the pandemic, filmed on a rollercoaster, was broadcasted across America on PBS.

Jasmine Gardosi said: "I am delighted to have received this Honorary Doctorate of Letters, and grateful to Birmingham Newman University for recognising my contributions towards literature.

“Pushing the conventions of poetry, using spoken word as a tool for social inclusion, and bringing communities together through art - this is the kind of work that might often go without formal recognition when it occurs outside of an academic context.

“This is why I’m thrilled to receive such an acknowledgement from an institution which, in itself, pushes convention, makes new, and brings an overwhelmingly diverse community of various people, backgrounds and experiences to one place to learn, improve and achieve dreams together.”

Lynne Baird founded the Daniel Baird Foundation after her son, Daniel, was fatally stabbed on the 8th July 2017 outside The Forge Tavern in Digbeth, Birmingham.

Lynne soon learnt that a simple piece of medical equipment could have saved her son’s life that night and has made it her mission to make bleed control kits publicly available across the country.

These kits have subsequently saved many lives and have now been purchased internationally.

Lynne’s relentless campaigning over the past six years has been recognised in the 2022 New Year’s honours list in which Lynne was awarded an MBE, as well as winning a Pride of Britain award in 2020 and being awarded the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner’s community Thank You Award, also in 2020.

Lynne Baird said: "Starting and running a charity in memory of a son is something no parent should ever have to do, but sadly that was the position I found myself in. Dan was out celebrating a new job with friends and was unfortunately caught up in being in the wrong place at the wrong time which cost him his life.

“From that moment onwards I have dedicated my life to reduce other families being in the situation I was. I spend every hour of every day building awareness around bleed control, doing talks to numerous organisations and schools, talking to the media to raise awareness.

“We are not a funded charity, we get no government support, no grants, we just work day in, day out to stop families losing loved ones through critical injuries. I am very honoured to be recognised by Birmingham Newman University and to receive the honorary degree.”

The graduation ceremony took place at the Symphony Hall on Monday 30th October 2023.