Dr Penny Melville-Brown (Disability Dynamics and Baking Blind) UK

Penny Melville-Brown OBE DUniv said, "I’m a survivor.  Life has been about overcoming disasters and discovering new opportunities.

In my mid-20s, my fiancé of six years was killed in a car crash. I had to pick myself up and find a new direction. The Royal Navy was the answer for a superb career of over 20 years: one of eight women Commanders, first woman naval barrister, international travel and making changes to the lives of thousands. Just fabulous until I lost my sight."

Blindness ended her military ambitions. Time to re-group and find new fulfilment in the civilian world. "Unashamedly optimistic, I created Disability Dynamics Ltd to help other disabled people to get back to work. Nearly 20 years of intense job satisfaction, working from the heights of Government to the reality of thousands of people we served, was the lasting reward, although an OBE and Honorary doctorate gave me the chance to dress up!"

Penny had also held numerous senior appointments within Government and the voluntary sectors ranging from being a Non-Executive Director of the UK Tax Department, supporting other military veterans, leading a multi-million-pound organisation delivering education and training. She was also one of the UK delegates to the World and European Blind Unions

But challenges continued as Penny explained, "The next cloud: the Government cut the support I needed to work so the business came to a crumbling halt.   While the dispute continued for seven years, reinvention was needed again. I was better equipped to make my mark in the kitchen than in the Paralympics as my new direction. Within months, I’d won an international prize for blind people that funded a global tour to work with professional chefs and home-cooks. My goal was to use cooking to demonstrate that just having a disability needn't hold anyone back: I published the book, over 100 videos and recipes. Life was wonderful with new opportunities ready and waiting."

But injuries from a major car accident in France brought everything to another unexpected halt. Lucky even to be alive, let alone walking and talking, Penny's recovery took years and was further complicated by yet another accident and spinal fracture.

Undaunted, she said, "The physical and mental fallout carries on, but I've not given up. I'm writing another book to capture all my years supporting other disabled people to work, did lots of on-line cooking throughout the pandemic, continue with many speaking engagements and am still active in the public and voluntary sectors. Equally positively, since the car accident, I've got married and embarked on a new adventure as a co-beekeeper! Don't worry, I keep well clear of the bees, but I extract the honey, cook with it and make mead."