Rt. Hon Hazel Blears

Hazel was MP for Salford from 1997 before she stood down at the 2015 election. During a distinguished political career she served as Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Public Health Minister and Chair of the Labour party.

Throughout her career, Hazel has played an active role in supporting charities and social enterprises and encouraging local communities to be involved in designing their own services.

As an MP she was a champion of the Social Value Act, which places a duty on public authorities to consider social, economic and environmental factors during procurement.

She is a member of the Big Society Capital Advisory Board and a determined campaigner for improvements to dementia diagnosis, care and awareness.