Melanie Simmonds is the Head of Save the Children Cymru, a role she has held since the spring of 2020. In this position, Melanie leads the team in Wales to support children and their families, and practitioners to work together to address the inequalities created by poverty. Melanie is a passionate advocate for children's rights and participation. She began her journey with Save the Children in 2007, initially leading the Cardiff-based 'Turn On The Right's' project. She later joined the programmes teams to deliver parental engagement support within communities. Before her tenure at Save the Children, Melanie worked as a youth and community worker for Newport City Council, where she led various projects aimed at supporting young people.
In her spare time, Melanie enjoys spending time with family and friends, exercising, and reading