Community Group of the Year/Charity Champion or Volunteer of the Year nominee – PEGIS/Michelle Craggs
Community Group of the Year/Charity Champion or Volunteer of the Year nominee – PEGIS/Michelle Craggs
As a mum of four children with additional needs Michelle Craggs struggled to find the right parent support group – so she set it up herself.
The 48-year-old, from Fenton, has been running PEGIS – Parent Engagement Group in Stoke – for the past eight years.
PEGIS supports parents of children with additional needs, advocates on their behalf and runs various groups including at an in-patient unit.
Everything is volunteer-led with no paid employees, including 24/7 support for 2,400 parents. PEGIS makes no charge for its services.
Michelle, who has additional needs herself, has been nominated as a Charity Champion or Volunteer of the Year in the Your Heroes Awards by a whole string of parents she has helped. PEGIS has also been nominated as a Community Group of the Year.
Heidi-Rose Wiseman said: “My children wouldn’t have the support they do currently were it not for Michelle and PEGIS. I have two autistic children, both needing specialist education. They have both been into a mental health facility, they have both tried to take their own lives.
“Were it not for Michelle I don’t think I would have been able to get through any of it. My girls wouldn’t have EHCPs, social care direct payments, CAMHS support, ISH support or even diagnoses so they can better understand themselves. Michelle and PEGIS are a true gem in our community.”
Wendy Powell said: “The work these volunteers do helps so many families not to feel isolated or overwhelmed by the special needs system.”
Hannah Gouldburn said: “I have known Michelle sit up for hours reading policies over and over again along with comparing it to the law. This ensures families who have children with special education needs or disabilities get the right support at the right time and when they don’t Michelle is their voice.
“I have known Michelle to support families into the early hours of the morning and Christmas Day. She takes no praise for it. Her motto is if children can try every day to learn then she can try every day to make the system better for them.”
Suzanne Pirchford said: “She is the voice of the special educational needs and disabilities parents in Stoke-on-Trent.”
Keely Smith said: “This group fills a massive void in the city’s support for parents.”
Michelle is more likely to nominate someone else for an award than accept one herself. She says she sees it as her job to help, support and nurture parents through the system.
She said: “Somewhere today in Stoke-on-Trent a child will be born with a disability. I will continue to work in whatever role I am in to make sure that family and that child has a smoother, more supported journey and leads the best life they can.
“I’m a parent who has probably experienced 95% of the system but the real power of PEGIS and why it’s unique is that it’s parents working together with other parents.”