LEADERS of a Bury-based support group say they are “in dreamland” after being nominated for a top award.

Three years ago, Michelle Cardno founded Fightback 4justice, which helps disabled people tackle benefit disputes and other legal issues.

Since then, the 47-year-old Radcliffe woman and her team of helpers have won more than 190 cases at tribunals and have helped hundreds more with filling in forms and getting correct information.

The group, which is now based at a mill in Cork Street, Bury, has been shortlisted out of thousands of nominations for a National Diversity Award.

Ms Cardno will discover at a London ceremony on September 26 if they have won.

She said: “We’ve won other awards before, but this is on another level. We are in dreamland.

“Our Facebook page is phenomenal at the moment, with thousands of messages of support.

“It is a huge task though. Every day we get about 150 calls and 200 emails or messages and 95 per cent of them are new cases.”

The mother of four, who worked for Bolton Citizens’ Advice Bureau after graduating in law in 2012 from the University of Bolton, said the high demand is due to controversial Government changes to disability benefits under the Welfare Reform Act.

It forced disabled people to undergo medical tests to judge if they were fit to work.

Many of those who have been denied cash could suffer a ‘double whammy’ as further changes mean their free mobility scooters could be withdrawn, said Ms Cardno.

She added: “We are trying to help people who face a wide range of challenges and you can tell it’s appreciated.

“Recently, a woman travelled to our office all the way from the Outer Hebrides just to get our help filling in a form. That is how desperate people are.

“But it is a buzz when you get to post success stories online and see people’s reactions. I think that empowers them and makes them realise that they are not alone.”

For more information, and to find out how donations can be made to the organisation, which is a not-for-profit social enterprise: visit fightback.

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