Mel B is a recipient of her MBE from Women’s Aid for her domestic violence charity work.
In the New Year Honours, Spice Girl 46 was honored for her services to vulnerable women and charitable causes. She declared that this was “all about them” for her.
Mel claimed that receiving this award made her feel ‘incredibly proud’ because it brought back memories of all the women she’d met and the men she lost.
Notable achievement: Mel B has dedicated her MBE for her work with domestic violence charity Women’s Aid to other women who suffered in abusive relationships
When she was informed by The Sun that she received this honour, she stated: “I thought about all of the women I have met in the last few years who’ve been through horrible situations, women who’ve died, and women still suffering.
“This was, to me, all about them.” This is still the case.
Continued she: “Receiving this letter about the MBE. . . It was my first thought of doing something.
“Not as Spice Girl, Melanie Brown, not as Melanie Brown, this mixed-race working-class kid from Leeds, who does her thing no matter what.
“That made me feel extremely proud of me, all of the women who went through similar experiences, and all of those people who supported me in this endeavor.”
Raising awareness: Earlier this year, the singer starred in a short film exploring domestic violence through dance, recreating a woman’s escape from an abusive relationship
A short film that examined domestic violence by dance was made earlier in the year.
Fabio D’Andrea composed the music for the video. She directed it and she created the scene. The idea was inspired by stories that Women’s Aid patrons had shared with her.
The choreography of the dance was done by Ashley Wallen. Ashley has previously worked with Mariah Carey and Kylie Minogue, as well as on The Greatest Showman, starring Hugh Jackman.
After a decade, Melanie and Stephen Belafonte split in 2018.
In her memoir Brutally Honest (2018), she claimed that she was subject to abuse – an allegation Belafonte repeatedly denies.
Following an eight year battle with cancer Mel’s father Martin, died in 2017.
She said she told her mom about the MBE news and then drove to his grave to share it with him.
Ex: Mel divorced Stephen Belafonte (46), in 2017 after claiming that he physically and emotionally abused her throughout their 10-year-long marriage. He vehemently denied this claim.
Making a difference: Two years ago, the Yorkshire-born pop star released her memoir Brutally Honest, which led her to work with Women’s Aid after she detailed her marriage with Stephen
Mel from Pop Star Mel stated that she wanted to give her award to her father, and not just to the women who’ve suffered.
She stated that her husband “started the journey i will be on the rest of my lifetime”, working to spread awareness and help victims of domestic abuse.
The original star from Leeds won five Brit awards and was ranked number one in the UK with nine singles.
Bold: Mel (also known as Scary Spice) rose to prominence in the nineties as a member the Spice Girls. She is pictured here on the stage at the 1997 BRIT Awards.
In 2000 the group was put on hiatus. She reestablished herself as a talent judge and TV personality, appearing on The X Factor (Celebrity Juice) and America’s Got Talent.
Victoria didn’t join her ex-bandmates when the girls group was reunited for a concert tour in Ireland and the UK.
Mel isn’t the only Spice Girl who has been honored through the British honors system.
The Duke of Cambridge made Victoria OBE in April 2017 to recognize her 17 year career as a fashion design outside the band.
Pop icons: Mel was awarded five Brit Awards, and he scored nine UK number 1 singles with Spice Girls (pictured in 2019 with Geri Horner, Emma Bunton and Melanie Chisholm).