Elisabeth Crafer

Elisabeth Crafer was educated in South Africa. For political reasons she left SA and moved to the UK, quickly discovering that the English weather was worse than she had thought possible, as was the homegrown racism.

She was working in social research and adult education when she saw a mismatch between health care provision for women and women’s health needs. So she bought a 7 tonne lorry from a vehicle auction and converted it into a health information mobile.

After managing Hertsaid an HIV service for people in Hertfordshire, she took on the role of CEO of Positively Women and steered the move from into the wider service provision of Positively UK. She formalised the theoretical framework for training peer workers and produced the National Standards for Peer Support in HIV.

On leaving Positively UK she continued mentoring and coaching. She also set up a small baking business which got totally out of hand and after 12 years of cake baking, hung up the apron and hairnet.

She continues to be passionate about matters of justice and representation and puts her determination and resilience down to surviving the teenage years of her 3 daughters. She is grateful (mostly) for the difficulties people have sent her way, for that is always our best learning.