Disney ending for Jade with movie sets role in Oz

Jade Mellor decided she wanted to live on the Gold Coast after she fell in love with the city on holiday in 2013

Before moving, she took the decision to undergo major brain surgery in 2017, after suffering from epilepsy since the age of seven.

No medication had ever been successful for Jade, however 2022 marks her fifth year clear of epilepsy, which means she no longer needs to register as a previous epileptic.

After taking the time needed to recover, Jade got her driving licence in a four-week crash course, and was on a plane to the Gold Coast.

Jade, who studied at Dudley College, said: "I originally visited Australia on a holiday in 2013, where I did a road trip from Cairns down to Sydney.

"The Gold Coast captured my heart on this trip as it offers everything I want in one place – the excitement of city living, the beach on my doorstep and the nature in the beautiful hinterland areas just a short distance away.

"A couple of years later, I came back again to the Gold Coast for a five-month working holiday and it was after that I knew I wanted to live here.

"I returned home to the UK and made the decision to have my brain surgery in August 2017.

"I knew the risks, but I stand by 'do what you can, while you can'.

Following the surgery, Jade planned her move to combine her two passions, studying carpentry and living in Australia.

She saved for two years with her partner Laura in preparation for the move and study fees.

"I moved to the Gold Coast in January 2020 with my partner on a student visa," Jade said.

"While here, I have studied a Certificate III in Carpentry at TAFE (Technical and Further Education).

Now Jade is working on building sets for a Disney production.

Jade said: "While I was studying carpentry at TAFE, I got connected with a production designer through the Gold Coast Mayor's Student Ambassador Program I was a part of.

"This production designer put me in touch with a Gold Coast film construction crew, which eventually led to me being offered a position.

"I was very privileged and lucky that my first job happened to be on a Disney production.

"I get so immersed in the unique world of the sets, I often feel like I get lost in the films and TV shows I loved when I was younger.

"When building the sets, I love to see the creative ideas transform into a physical reality.

"I unfortunately can’t say what production I’m working on due to legal reasons, but I can say I’m getting to build some pretty incredible things that you would never get to do in a standard carpentry or construction job."

On living in the Gold Coast, Jade described it as a wonderful place to live with a great cultural scene.

She said: "I’ve found that the Gold Coast is a wonderful place to live, work, and study.

"The West Midlands and Wednesbury will always be my home in my heart. But my mind and my heart wanted to reach for more and that just wasn’t a possibility before.

"I miss Mum’s cooking and cuddles. I know we have FaceTime and social media to stay connected, but it’ll never be the same as knocking on her door and saying 'Put the kettle on'."