Stephen Lewis Elms (95 -03), who also goes by the stage name Silvar Laidlow, is a performing and recording artist based in the Northeast of England.
During his time at Bedford School, Stephen tragically lost his mother, Sheina Elms, a well-known fashion designer in the town. Sheina had left behind a large box of fabric that had sat gathering dust in the loft of Stephen’s family home. When his father, George Elms, suddenly passed away in 2018, Stephen found her box amongst other possessions and decided to take it back to his home in Newcastle, where it remained.
When the pandemic hit, Stephen faced immense struggles, having had his booked 100-date tour cancelled. Panic began to set in at the realisation that he and his fiancée Sharna no longer had an income and were falling through the cracks of government support. This prompted Stephen to approach The Old Bedfordians Club who pointed to its Bishop Memorial Fund – a fund which was set up to help OBs in times of financial hardship or distress. The fund prides itself on turning around applications at speed and, within a week, he received a grant which helped him get back on his feet and, ultimately, get through the pandemic.
The money enabled him to purchase a heat press and two sewing machines and, along with his fiancée, he started producing face masks, initially, with the fabric from his mother’s box. His company flourished during the pandemic, whilst demand was high, and, at its peak, made customised masks for Chris Moyles, Slimming World and Dr Hilary Jones.
“The grant we received from the Bishop Memorial Fund really was our saving grace, enabling us to get through the pandemic. We were then able to return to making music and touring once again as things slowly returned to normality.”
Stephen became aware that the pandemic was leading to many children struggling with their mental health. He decided to draw from his own personal experience in overcoming the challenges he had faced to provide support for children in schools throughout the UK – using his stories as inspiration and motivation. Since they began their campaign in November 2021, he and Sharna have spoken to over 45,000 students and aim to double this figure by the end of 2022.
Their enthusiasm and hard work have received many plaudits – including a very special letter, “It was incredible to receive a letter from Her Majesty the Queen during her jubilee celebrations. This was something I never expected to receive in my lifetime, and it will be framed and, hopefully, talked about with pride from my future generations.”
When asked about the Bishop Memorial Fund Stephen said “The fund has not only helped me in a rare moment of struggle, but it was a successful investment into my ability to help so many others. The realisation that, after so many years of silence, I could still turn to Bedford School for support, showed me that my parents not only made the best decision in sending me there but that the values and morals taught at the school really run through the veins of the whole organisation. I’m very proud to be an Old Bedfordian”
Stephen left Bedford School as a prominent Rugby League Player, under scholarship with London Broncos. He was then selected for the West Indies team to play South Africa in 2004 and then went on to sign professionally with Gateshead Thunder until 2006, when he turned his attention to the music industry.
In 2010, he appeared on Sky1’s ‘Must Be the Music’ alongside Jamie Cullum, Dizzee Rascal and Sharleen Spiteri. Six years later, he and his fiancée Sharna Bowman, wowed audiences on ‘The X Factor’, where they received 4 ‘yeses’ from the judges. The pair created ‘He Knows She Knows’, a performing duo and, together, they toured the country.
Stephen and his fiancée intend to continue working with young people. They have been nominated for two Northern Region Entertainment Awards and two National Entertainment Awards for 2022 and are hoping to take these home after winning the 2019, 2020 and 2021 awards respectively.
During the pandemic, the Bishop Memorial Fund was able to provide, very rapidly, a series of modest grants to several OBs in need and continues to be ready to help.
Find Out More About The Bishop Memorial Fund Here
