Craig Tracey was our MP for many years in North Warwickshire, someone who consistently took an interest in Cohort 4, who continued to champion our work and offer his advice and appreciation. Since leaving his Parliamentary office in 2024, we couldn’t resist asking Craig to be Patron of our community organisation.

We are glad that he said yes, and we now enjoy him as our Patron and an important and active part of our community here in Atherstone, North Warwickshire. Though he is a man (yes we noticed), he has been someone who never wavered in his support of our mainly women’s group. Our group members are all very fond of Craig for his non judgemental kindness and interest in their lives and perspectives.

Craig ran his own business for 20 years and has been a Trustee, Patron and Director of several local Charities. However, it was during his time as Member of Parliament for North Warwickshire and Bedworth that he first came in to contact with Cohort 4. He was so impressed with the work we were doing supporting people in the local communities, that he promised to help wherever he could – something that we held him to!

During his time as an MP he held many key Parliamentary roles including:

• Parliamentary Private Secretary to Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt ( Secretary of State for International Development and Women & Equalities Minister) and Rt Hon Dame Andrea Leadsom (Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy)

• Chair of the All Party Parliamentary group on Breast Cancer (2015 – 2024) where he worked with charities, patient advocates, senior practitioners and other stakeholders, as well as liaising with Government departments including Secretaries of State and Ministers to highlight the ongoing challenges faced by people with Breast Cancer.
• Chair of the All Party Parliamentary group on Women & Enterprise (2015 – 2024) which he developed it to a much respected group across both Parliament and the private sector, with over 100 businesses part of our advisory Board from sole traders to senior Executives in Nat West and Dell. The group launched two acclaimed reports which had a significant impact on encouraging Female Entrepreneurship and as a result he was asked to sit on the No 10 Advisory Committee by then Prime Minister Theresa May. Craig has been keynote speaker on the subject for a number of UK and international events sharing their findings and best practice.

Thanks Craig for your continued involvement in our community and especially for your support and agreement to be the Cohort 4 Patron.

Beverley