Meet the Community Health Champions – Michelle and Claire

Two Sheffield women with similar, challenging pasts now have brighter futures as community health champions.

Michelle Smedley, 31, and Claire Caterer, 32, who live in the Southey area of the city, struggled through school and early work lives, experienced broken relationships, and have brought children up single handed.

Michelle says she couldn’t wait to leave school at 16. “I didn’t do very well mainly because I played truant a lot.”

She went on a Youth Training Scheme and worked as a catering assistant, but hasn’t been employed for a number of years as she has been bringing up her children. She became a community heath champion in March this year when she decided to get fit and healthy, and she now volunteers at Healthy Cross Community Project, alongside Claire, in organising a walk every Wednesday.

“I have learned a lot about the community and a lot about myself in the process. I can do much more than I ever thought I could.”

Michelle also ‘buddies’ a young lady who has learning difficulties and takes her to the gym once a week where she has begun to mix with others.

“She has also started to come to the Wednesday walk and is doing really well. She no longer has to bring her mother with her as she did at first, she is wearing clothes more suited to a young woman and is taking a real interest in her appearance.”

“I feel really proud of her and the impact that myself, as a community health champion, has had on her life.”

In the future, Michelle says that she would like to take a course at university on working within the community so she can help others achieve their own goals and benefit in a similar way to herself.

“I have had access to training and this has built up my confidence, made me calmer and me and my family healthier, fitter and happier.”

Claire, who has three children and lives with her partner, also says she didn’t get on at school and always seemed to struggle.

“I found everything difficult. I went through school believing that I was thick, even my parents said that I wouldn’t ‘get on’.”

Leaving school at 16, she also went on a Youth Training Scheme, into catering and joinery before also becoming a mum.

It was Michelle who introduced to Claire the idea of becoming a community health champion at

Healthy Cross, and she decided to give it a go. Claire now participates as a walk leader and takes gym sessions.

“I look much better, eat better, feel better, and I mix with people of all ages and backgrounds, I help other people get fitter and feel good about themselves and I know that I can achieve what I want,

“I found out that I am dyslexic and will be able to access help. With some support, I have been able to access mental health training, something I would never in a million years think I could do.”

(This article originally appeared in Alltogether Better News, November 2009)

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