Mel has been doodling with clay since her love of it was rekindled doing a pottery class with her daughter and Mum in Spain 2014. She says: "I was touched by the the enjoyment of clay and the stillness it brought to everyone there. As most potters do, I started off creating functional pieces - mugs, bowls and plates. It was an unexpected pleasure after selling my mugs when people came back to me saying it was their morning cuppa mug. I'd poured my love into something which was now a moment daily of stillness in someone else's hectic life! 

"During lockdown, I gifted myself my own garden studio to keep me sane in the uncertainty. I installed my lovely Keith the Kiln. Both have enabled me to scale up and experiment further. I absolutely love going with the flow, creating unique one-off statement pieces whether functional for the kitchen or purely bonkers.

"Post lockdown, I've been able to introduce others to the joy of clay with tailor made pottery classes. It is a real privilege to be able to provide and share a moment whether it's from the enjoyment people get from the tactile nature of the clay, hand building or spinning on the wheel. Or the pure happiness brought from the finished piece hot from the kiln."