At BIRD we are very happy to share and celebrate Melanie (Brooke) Turfrey, BIRD Patient and Public Engagement Director, receiving ‘Highly Commended’ in the Bath & North East Somerset Community Leader Award category. Mel has made an outstanding difference to the lives of patients with rheumatic diseases in Bath, NE Somerset and West Wiltshire (also around the UK) through her role as Patient and Public Engagement Director at Bath Institute for Rheumatic Diseases and also voluntarily, especially through setting up peer groups and online support during the pandemic.  She has created and led a community of interest through providing accessible information in a variety of new ways, encouraging and creating communities, peer groups and winning international recognition. 👏