1st class Sharna makes mum Rebekah proud

Romany mum Rebekah recently wrote to the Travellers Times to tell us about the amazing achievements of her daughter Sharna.

Sharna, 24, recently graduated from York University with a 1st class sociology master’s degree with honours to add to her bachelor’s degree in the same subject.

“We’re proud Romany descending from the Roberts family of Kent and Sussex, who migrated up to south Wales, and my daughter very recently graduated from York university with her master’s degree in sociology, 1st class honours,” Rebekah told the Travellers’ Times.

Sharna’s next goals are to work in research, or for a charity, and to write a book. Sharna chose sociology because she had an interest in social justice, and that led her to do her master’s degree which looked at gendered inequality.

“She’s the first in my family to go to university, so I’m very proud of her,” says Rebekah.
Sharna’s achievements did not come easy, and her childhood experiences resonate with the subjects she later went on to study.

 “I suffered severe domestic violence and was let down in every way by the police, we moved lots, and my kids went to different schools, nobody ever helped us,” says Rebekah.

“So, I’m really proud of Sharna for what she’s achieved,” adds Rebekah. 

“My great granny Gentila was born in a vardo and never went to school - so times have changed!”

And times continue to change, and, with her master’s degree - which means Sharna has at the least four years of hard-graft studying at university level under her belt - Sharna is one of many young people making the changes.

Every year more and more Gypsy or Traveller students start a bachelor’s degree at university.

According to figures recently released by the Office for Students, 1,430 Gypsy and Traveller students started their first degree in the academic year 2022-23, compared to 470 in 2021-22.

In 2019-20 there were only 120 Gypsy or Traveller students starting a degree.

A further break-down in the most recent government figures show that of the 1,430 Gypsy or Traveller students who started University in 2022-23, 970 were studying business and management, 120 were studying creative and performing arts, 70 were studying engineering and computing, 120 - like Sharna did - were studying law and social sciences, and 90 were studying nursing or psychology.

Mum Rebekah is a fortune teller and has also recently featured in Take a Break and Fate and Fortune magazines. 

TT News

(Photograph courtesy of Rebekah)