Melanie has worked in the voluntary sector for many years.
For the last 20 years this has been focused on services for older people at strategic and service delivery levels. She has also acted as a lay member of Care Quality Commission, specialising on equalities and dementia.
During the 1970s and 80s she worked in primary health care projects in Cameroon, which gave her a practical understanding of the structural inequalities in our world and reaffirmed the importance of community involvement in project development. Upon returning to Britain she undertook a degree in Social Policy and Administration and a Masters Degree in Development Studies, whilst raising three children as a lone parent.
Melanie is also a traditional upholsterer. She lives in Bradford, where she enjoys walking, a variety of crafts, cooking, dance and gardening. She has a firm commitment to working towards social justice and equality and appreciates the innovative approach of QSA projects to addressing particular areas of inequality.