Alison Lowe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alison Lowe
OBE |
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| Deputy Mayor of West Yorkshire for Policing and Crime | |
| Assumed office 18 June 2021 |
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| Appointed by | Tracy Brabin |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Leeds City Councillor for Armley Ward |
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| In office 1990–2019 |
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| Preceded by | M. P. Roberts |
| Succeeded by | Lou Cunningham |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1964 Leeds, England |
| Political party | Labour |
| Children | 2, including Adam |
| Residences | Birstall, West Yorkshire |
| Education | Leeds East Academy |
| Alma mater | University of Leeds |
Alison Natalie Kay Lowe is a British politician from the Labour Party. She is currently the Deputy Mayor of West Yorkshire for Policing and Crime. She made history as the first black woman to be a city councillor in Leeds, serving from 1990 to 2019. Before that, she was the boss (Chief Executive) of Touchstone, a charity in Leeds that helps people with mental health, from 2004 to 2021.
Alison Lowe has won awards, including the Forward Business Woman of the Year in 2014 and the Stonewall Senior Champion of the Year in 2015.
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About Alison Lowe's Early Life
Alison Lowe was born in 1964 in Leeds, England. Her father moved to Leeds from St Kitts in 1956. Her mother, Kay, was born in Leeds and had Irish family. Her parents got married in 1961.
Alison grew up in Seacroft, Leeds, with her three siblings. She went to Parklands Girls High School, which is now called Leeds East Academy. She has described her family as very diverse, like "Heinz 57 Varieties."
When she was 20, Alison got married. She had two children, a son and a daughter, when she was 21 and 23 years old. They lived in Chapeltown. Her oldest child is a poet and writer named Adam Lowe. In 1999, Alison and her family were part of a TV show called Family Life on ITV.
Alison's Education Journey
Alison Lowe studied history at the University of Leeds. She started her university degree just three weeks after her second child was born in 1987. She finished her first degree in 1990. Later, she earned a master's degree in medieval studies in 1993.
Alison also has some distant Nigerian family from her father's side.
Alison Lowe's Career in Public Service
While she was still at university, Alison Lowe was elected to the Leeds City Council in 1990. She represented the Armley area. This made her the first black woman to become a councillor in Leeds. During her time as a councillor, she held many important roles. These included being the Deputy Lord Mayor and a member of the council's main decision-making group, called the Cabinet. She also led the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel, which checks on the work of the West Yorkshire Police.
Besides her work as a Leeds city councillor, Alison Lowe also worked for charities that help people who are homeless. In 2004, she became the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Touchstone. This charity in Leeds helps people with mental health issues. She was the CEO of Touchstone for more than 17 years. In May 2021, she announced she would leave Touchstone to become the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime of West Yorkshire.
Alison Lowe served as a councillor for 29 years. She left the council in 2019. In 2020, she was given the special title of honorary alderwoman of Leeds. One of her first tasks in this role was to lead a review of statues in the city. This review was in response to concerns about some statues linked to the Black Lives Matter movement.
She tried several times to become a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Labour Party. However, she was not chosen by the local party groups. For example, she was considered for the Leeds North East area in 1997 but was not selected. She also tried for Leeds West in 2010 and Batley and Spen in 2015, but other candidates were chosen.
On May 12, 2021, Alison Lowe was appointed as the first Deputy Mayor of West Yorkshire for Policing and Crime. She was chosen by the first West Yorkshire Mayor, Tracy Brabin. Her role was officially confirmed on June 18, 2021.
In 2022, Alison Lowe was given an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) award. This was for her important work in mental health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In July 2022, the University of Leeds gave Alison Lowe an honorary Doctorate of Laws degree. This was to recognise her strong commitment to speaking up for people who are not always heard. It also honoured her work in promoting open discussions about mental health.
Images for kids
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Alison Lowe
See Also
- Tracy Brabin
