EXCLUSIVE 'It's not my award, it's for the other survivors': Mel B reflects on her 'incredible' MBE after being honoured for services to domestic violence campaigning
- For free and confidential support, connect to a Women's Aid support worker via their instant messaging service at chat.womensaid.org.uk
Mel B has reflected on receiving her 'incredible' MBE in the New Year Honours after being recognised for services to domestic violence campaigning.
As a patron of Women's Aid, the Spice Girl, 47, is a strong advocate for female rights and spoke to MailOnline at the NFT art pre-launch for Fabio D'Andre's music video, Love Should Not Hurt, in which she starred, held at London's Blacks Club.
She poignantly said: 'It's not my award, it's for the other survivors. The MBE was crazy to me. I know that Teresa [Parker] from Women's Aid already knew about it behind the scenes but I didn't have a clue so when it happened, I was flabbergasted.'
![EXCLUSIVE: 'It's not my award, it's for the other survivors': Mel B has reflected on receiving her 'incredible' MBE after being recognised for services to domestic violence campaigning](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/07/26/20/60723097-11050685-image-a-46_1658863034195.jpg)
EXCLUSIVE: 'It's not my award, it's for the other survivors': Mel B has reflected on receiving her 'incredible' MBE after being recognised for services to domestic violence campaigning
The Wannabe hitmaker continued: 'But you would think to get an MBE it would be for the Spice Girls, like we won Ivor Novellos, but to get an award like this solely because of the work that I've done with the help of Teresa was incredible to me.'
Role model Mel added at the event, hosted by Crypto Club Global: 'It's really for all the people that support such an epidemic of a cause.'
Last year, the singer - whose campaigning began after her split from ex-husband Stephen Belafonte in 2017 - starred in a short film exploring domestic violence through dance, which was directed by and featured the music of composer Fabio.
![Deserving: As a patron of Women's Aid, the Spice Girl, 47, is a strong advocate for female rights and began her campaigning after her split from Stephen Belafonte in 2017 (pictured in May 2022)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/07/26/20/60723107-11050685-image-a-47_1658863038256.jpg)
Deserving: As a patron of Women's Aid, the Spice Girl, 47, is a strong advocate for female rights and began her campaigning after her split from Stephen Belafonte in 2017 (pictured in May 2022)
Ensuring to support the musician in his release of NFTs to raise funds for the charity, The Masked Singer Australia judge jetted specially from Sydney to London, before driving to her home in Leeds and selflessly back to the capital.
Mel told MailOnline: 'Why would I not be here? I'm running on about two hours' sleep and a 23 hour flight from Australia but anything to do with Women's Aid and my charity... especially Fabio. He did that great, amazing video, which was his idea.
'I actually flew from Sydney so I did an eight hour flight to Singapore, then a two hour wait and then a 15 hour flight from Singapore to London.
![Role model: Last year, the singer starred in a short film exploring domestic violence through dance, which was directed by and featured the music of composer Fabio D'Andre](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/07/26/20/60723147-11050685-image-m-51_1658863192228.jpg)
Role model: Last year, the singer starred in a short film exploring domestic violence through dance, which was directed by and featured the music of composer Fabio D'Andre
'I had 12 pieces of luggage and a four hour drive to Leeds, slept for about four hours then I had a four hour car ride here. Now, I'm gonna drive four hours back in about 5 minutes!'
The special NFT collection comprises a series of unique fan art pieces, created in response to Fabio's music video, which showed the realities of life for women who live under the threat of domestic violence.
Mel said: 'I'm so proud to be part of this project which means so much to me because this is a collaboration of three things that are so important in my life: music, dance and a way to highlight the ever increasing issue of violence towards women.
'It seems strange to say I am proud of showing something so brutal and disturbing but it is my mission to raise awareness of something so many women go through every day, every week, every month of their lives.
'I have had my own experiences of abusive relationships but as patron of Women's Aid I have spoken to so many other women, listened to what they have gone through and I know how very real the danger is to so many women out there.
'I'm not going to stop breaking the silence and the shame around this subject because it's too much and we have to stand up and do something.'
For free and confidential support, connect to a Women's Aid support worker via their instant messaging service at chat.womensaid.org.uk.
![Pals: She spoke to MailOnline at the NFT art pre-launch for Fabio's music video, Love Should Not Hurt, in which she starred, held at London's Blacks Club (Mel and Fabio are pictured)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/07/26/20/60723143-11050685-image-a-49_1658863158467.jpg)
Pals: She spoke to MailOnline at the NFT art pre-launch for Fabio's music video, Love Should Not Hurt, in which she starred, held at London's Blacks Club (Mel and Fabio are pictured)
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