[1] Before being elected McAvan worked for Barnsley Borough Council and was the European Officer for the Coalfields Community Campaign.

[5] Between 2002 and 2003, McAvan served as one of 16 representatives of the European Parliament in the Convention on the Future of Europe, led by former French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing.

In 2002, McAvan was voted UK European Woman of the Year; she received her award from the former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Mo Mowlam, who praised her efforts to engage women in the future of Europe.

[6] Later that year, however, she lost out against Gary Titley in the contest to select a new leader of British Labour MEPs.

[14] McAvan was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2020 New Year Honours for charitable and political services.