Originally from Wales, Melanie moved to Cumbria 19 years ago. She studied Performing Arts at university and went on to have a career in broadcasting working on This Morning for ITV, the BBC and finally for Border Television in Cumbria.

Using her skills developed in broadcasting, she worked as a freelancer in marketing, photography and videography for organisations local to Cumbria and national agencies across the UK.

Melanie joined CforLP in 2019 working on the Primary Business Partnership programme.During this time she has been involved with school and business engagement, and marketing.  She now works across all the Centre’s primary programmes.

“I feel very passionate about the work I do, I know it makes a difference, I’ve seen the children’s faces and I hear how they respond to the volunteers they get to meet.  This is why it’s so important that we offer up a variety of volunteers from a wide range of sectors, we want children to feel confident about their futures.”

Melanie has also been a volunteer for organisations such as the National Childbirth Trust and Friends of Chernobyl’s Children in West Cumbria.

“These experiences have been valuable to me as an individual and have helped develop skills for both my working and personal life.  I’m thrilled to be able to share these experiences with our growing network of volunteers and help shine a light on the amazing benefits of being part of the volunteering community.”

Melanie’s Leadership Top Tip

“Listening is key to being a good leader followed by identifying how you can support and facilitate, empowering your team to be able to realise their potential with the tools you can provide.”