PEGS celebrates Brightstar Boxing

At PEGS one of our most favourite things to do is to champion other organisations who are doing incredible work and to celebrate their achievements. After all, the only way we will have a happier safer community is if our communities work together.

Brightstar boxing is one of the organisations that PEGS is proud to be championing, based in Shifnal, Shropshire, with hubs in Wolverhampton, Hereford, Walsall, Shrewsbury, Birmingham and Stoke and led by Founding Director Joe Lockley, this amazing team are leading the way across the West Midlands and further afield in changing the way young people see, think about and believe in themselves.

Brightstar is more than a boxing club, it is a place that encourages acceptance, inclusion, empowerment, connections and creates a sense of belonging for all those who need them through their three-pronged approach of community, boxing and education.

Last Friday Founding Director Michelle and Corporate trainer Emma attended Brightstar’s 2024 celebration evening, where they caught up with the Brightstar family, had the opportunity to watch Flexus Dance Collective perform a dance show highlighting the issues that young people can face and how Brightstar helped them to overcome difficulties and encouraged them to thrive. PEGS Director said how ‘The dance was powerful and brought home how dance is so much more than movement, telling stories and experiences in a way that had everyone captivated’.

The event was attended by various organisations, supporters of Brightstar and of course some of the young people who attend, with two very heartfelt talks from two of the young members on how the support they have received has ‘changed their lives’. The whole room was touched by the honesty, rawness and passion from these lads who now also help others on their journeys too.

The event provided an opportunity to hear from a social worker, a teacher and a parent, all of whom gave their personal experience of the club and the impact this had on them, those they support and the wider community

Joe spoke about the community connection and the need to support each other; he shared his experiences with those who have supported him and the wider Brightstar team and Joe invited The High Sheriff of Shropshire to present awards to those who have supported him.

The evening was not over, not only had everyone been entertained from the start by Tony Soul who has an incredible voice, who had such energy and got the crowd singing and bopping along, we also were also privileged to witness another Brightstar star, Ethan who showed talents when he took over on the decks.

Brightstar has such a special place in PEGS teams hearts, we have seen first hand the unbelieve care, support and empowerment they provide to young people (and others!) The world is certainly a kinder place because of them and they bring so much hope to our present and future generations, we are privileged to be able to refer into Brightstar, but to quote a young person from the event ‘The question isn’t what Brightstar has done for me, but what can Brightstar do for you?’

You can find out more about Brightstar at https://www.brightstarboxing.co.uk/

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Founding Director, Michelle, has been awarded an MBE in the Kings Birthday Honours for Family Support and Advocacy.

By PEGS Admin • June 15, 2026

Child to Parent Abuse organisation founder awarded MBE The founder of a social enterprise which has supported thousands of parents impacted by abusive behaviours from their children has been awarded an MBE. Michelle John, originally from Pembrokeshire in Wales but now based in Shropshire, was among the names announced for the prestigious accolade in the King’s Birthday Honours List this year. In 2020, Michelle set up not-for-profit organisation PEGS with the aim of supporting parents and carers, training professionals, influencing local and national policy, and raising awareness of Child to Parent Abuse – which is thought to affect up to one in ten households in the UK. Since then, she has grown a team of experts who have trained police, social workers, teachers and many other professionals to better recognise the signs of CPA, support parents, and signpost to specialist organisations. In addition, Michelle set up a range of parent-focused initiatives including daily practitioner-led online sessions, a Facebook peer support group which now has 3,300 members, and one-to-one offerings for those at highest risk. PEGS launched a CPA Covenant for employers in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions, only the fourth such covenant to be backed by the Government, and Michelle has advised everyone from the Home Office to Channel 4 and the BBC on CPA – the latter for storyline on Hollyoaks and EastEnders. Her work has seen CPA covered by journalists across television news programmes, national newspapers and magazine, and regional press and radio, and she’s received numerous awards both in the UK and internationally. Michelle, whose MBE was awarded for Family Support and Advocacy, said: “This honour is also shared with the parents who have trusted me along the way: they drive me, inspire me and I will always stand with them. “I feel proud, privileged and very grateful – and I’d like to thank everyone who has supported me and PEGS along the way. There is much more to come for PEGS, and we will continue to work every day for the parents and carers who have been or continue to be impacted by CPA. “There is so much to reflect on from the journey of the last six years, and there have been many highlights and challenges along the way. I am sure there will be many more in the future – although being told I’d received an MBE will always remain a truly incredible moment that I’ll remember forever!” For more information about us, visit www.pegsupport.co.uk or search for 'PEGS' on social media!