Lucy's story

How did you use the Santander Funding?

I used the Santander funding to launch Swings and Roundabouts Jazz, a live jazz fundraising event in support of Roundabout, a Sheffield charity that works with vulnerable young people at risk of homelessness. I have been volunteering with Roundabout for the past two years.

The motivation came from a personal place, as I experienced homelessness after I left home at 15. Without the crucial work and support of charities like Roundabout, I wouldn’t be achieving all that I am today, so it felt important to give back in a way that raised both awareness and funds for Sheffield’s most vulnerable young people.

I feel proud to have built on the advocacy and community work I developed through my Bronze, Silver, and Gold Hallam Awards, which helped me to create a campaign that merged creativity, communication strategy, and local impact. The funding helped cover promotional materials, graphic designers, band hire, as well as a sound technician — all of which were crucial to delivering a professional and well-attended night.

With the skills I honed as a PR and Comms volunteer for Roundabout, along with my experience in event promotion and industry networking, I developed a full-scale marketing and communications plan. This included branded content, press releases, interviews, and social storytelling to drive engagement.

The event was a huge success, selling out and gaining media coverage across print, digital, and social platforms. It will now continue as a not-for-profit community fundraiser.

How will the funding help you to achieve your career aspirations?

I achieved the Hallam Award Scheme and planned Swings and Roundabouts Jazz while also working part-time and writing my dissertation. An unexpected benefit of the funding was that it pushed me to become more ambitious and gave me confidence in my ability to manage my time and multiple projects.

In the end, I achieved first-class honours in Journalism, PR and Media, sold out my event, and have now been invited back to Factory Floor for Swings and Roundabouts Jazz 2.

To have my skills in credibility, adaptability, curiosity, creativity, responsibility, and leadership recognised and accredited has given me both confidence and credibility as I move forward in my career. This is especially important when seeking investment and opportunities. People invest in people, and what better way to demonstrate your value than through accreditation.

This event gave me practical experience managing a multi-stakeholder event — from artist booking to digital strategy, branding, press relations, and audience engagement. These are all transferable skills I can now take forward in my career.

Why do you think it is important for students to engage in extracurricular activities alongside their studies?

Extracurricular activities have been instrumental in shaping my identity both as a professional and as a community advocate. These experiences offer benefits far beyond academics — building confidence, resilience, creative problem-solving, and a sense of belonging and contribution.

• Industry Experience: Organising Swings and Roundabouts and networking through the PR Society enabled me to build connections with artists, local businesses, and press contacts, leading directly to my role with the Kelham Island Jazz Festival.
• Community Impact: My work with Roundabout helped me to create campaigns that directly support young people experiencing homelessness — something I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to contribute to through academic study alone.
• Personal Growth: Being a Course Rep taught me how to advocate effectively, while roles at Glass Onion and Fagan’s developed my leadership and adaptability in professional environments.

Ultimately, it’s up to each student to decide how far they want to push themselves and how ambitious they are willing to be. Getting a degree alone is no longer enough in today’s competitive job market — especially given the ever-changing nature of the tech industry, particularly with regard to AI and its impact on the communications sector (a subject I explored in my dissertation).

It never hurts to have a competitive edge that is human-centric and shows passion and ambition that extends beyond a linear career path.

During or after the event:

In my final year, I wanted to combine my passion for community engagement, live music, and strategic communications. Drawing on the creative and leadership skills I developed through the Hallam Awards programme and my previous volunteer experience with Roundabout, I launched Swings and Roundabouts Jazz — a live jazz night held at Factory Floor in Kelham Island to raise awareness and funds for youth homelessness in Sheffield.

My objective was to create an immersive event that tapped into Sheffield’s ‘support local’ identity and brought together a community of artists, musicians, and the wider arts scene to support some of the city’s most vulnerable young people. I also wanted to showcase Sheffield’s vibrant jazz scene and help demystify the homelessness crisis affecting local youth.

I aimed to produce a meaningful experience with real social impact, while also elevating the visibility of Roundabout’s work using the theoretical elements of my degree and the networks I had built up over three years at Hallam.

I devised a marketing and PR strategy informed by my previous campaigns for Roundabout and my experience leading the PR Society, focusing on brand partnerships and collaborations. This included:

• Designing branded content for social media
• Pitching to local press, resulting in coverage in The Star, Sky’s Edge Magazine, ShefLive, Shef Herd, and Roundabout’s official blog
• Coordinating with musicians, booking the venue, creating digital assets, and using Instagram (@swings_roundabouts_jazz) to foster community engagement
• Partnering with local businesses to gain traction and support

The event sold out and raised significant awareness for Roundabout’s cause. Beyond financial contributions, we created a positive cultural moment in Sheffield’s music scene that centred on social responsibility. Audience feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many citing the intimate storytelling, live performances, and cause-driven atmosphere as standout elements.

The event has since evolved into a not-for-profit community initiative that will continue to raise funds and awareness for various charities in need, with the next one scheduled for 29th November at Factory Floor, in support of Tracks Charity — who help young people pursue their music dreams and goals.

One major opportunity that came out of this event is that I have now been asked to be Head of PR for the Kelham Island Jazz Festival, a new Kelham-wide event taking place across 13 venues.

The credibility, creativity, and community focus I developed through this experience have directly influenced my career path and future ambitions — to combine cultural programming with ethical PR and advocacy.

I’m incredibly proud of the work I have done alongside my degree, and having this recognised and funded has significantly contributed to my professional confidence and credibility.

From PR student to graduate, and now Founder of Swings & Roundabouts Jazz and Head of PR for Kelham Island Jazz Festival.

Thank you to the Hallam Awards Scheme and Santander Fund for making this possible.