A MUM who was forced to live in a caravan has scooped a national award after bouncing back and going all out to volunteer in her community.

Michelle Baker, from Shalford, has won a national ‘Women in Housing’ award.

The Eastlight Community Homes resident won the award for her contribution to her community and housing association.

Michelle’s life changed when first son Eli was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition when he was just six months old.

At the time, she was a career-driven, self-employed accountant who was expecting second child Oscar.

Oscar, now five, is partially deaf and Eli, now six, is partially sighted and vulnerable to infection due to low immunity.

Eli has other medical complications and has had about 30 operations.

When Michelle suspended her career to look after him, she and her husband – who is also self-employed – struggled to rent privately and the family lived in a caravan before becoming tenants of Greenfields Community Housing.

Michelle’s experiences made her appreciate her community, and she has since become heavily involved in a range of voluntary and charitable activities.

These have included playing a significant role in Greenfields’ merger with Colne to form Eastlight in July 2020 and becoming an Eastlight board member and chair of their customer influence committee.

This has now led to her winning the ‘board/committee member of the year’ Women in Housing 2022 award.

Michelle said: “I’m really pleased to receive this award.

“It is amazing to be recognised, and I hope it will inspire tenants everywhere to get involved at that level in their own housing association.”

Michelle has also played a fundamental role in establishing Eastlight’s partnership with disability organisation Purple, through which they aim to improve the disability experience of people living or working in social housing. 

Alongside running her own accountancy business, Michelle has taken on a host of other roles within her community.

She is clerk to Panfield, Shalford and the Salings parish councils.

Michelle also set up a charity, Wethersfield Community Activities, which has been running for a year and helps local groups run activities, such as parent and toddler sessions.