Parents of murdered Catholic teenager to deliver address at Leeds University

The parents of a Catholic altar server who was murdered in a South London bakery in 2008 are due to give an address at Leeds Trinity University tomorrow.

Margaret and Barry Mizen will host the ‘Darkness into Light’ event at Leeds University in order to reach out to people who have suffered similar tragedy in their life and discuss how their Christian faith helped them to cope with loss.

Their son Jimmy Mizen was murdered one day after his 16th birthday during a random attack in a south-London bakery.

Bernadette Broderick from Leeds Trinity University’s Chaplaincy, who organised the event, said:  “The Mizen family work tirelessly with children and schools to help young people, by giving them opportunities to get off the streets and form more beneficial relationships.

“Everyone is welcome at the event on Thursday; it will be a great chance for people to understand the heart-rending effects of violence on families and communities and will demonstrate the ways to cope with the long term impact it has.”

Following the death of their son, Margaret and Barry Mizen have established a charitable foundation aimed at tackling gang violence. They have both been awarded MBEs for their charitable work.