Informative visit to Water Treatment Works, Wrexham
I MET with representatives of both the All-Wales Deaf Mental Health and Well-Being Group, a group of Deaf and hearing professionals and charities, and DSN (Deaf & Sensory Network), who provide the adult social care contracts to those in the Deaf Community in Wrexham and Flintshire, to discuss DSN's support for my campaign for a Mental Health Service for Deaf people in Wales and provide an update on my British Sign Language (BSL) (Wales) Bill.
As Chair of the Cross-Party Group on Disability, I also met 'STAND North Wales (NW)' (Stronger Together for Additional Needs and Disabilities) for an update on their Petition to the Welsh Parliament Petitions Committee, 'Make Blue badge Applications Lifelong for individuals who have a lifelong diagnosis'; and discussion of other issues also creating barriers for the families they work with.
I visited independent mental health charity Conwy Mind at their offices in Abergele, to see their work first-hand and to discuss the launch of their new mental health initiative that aims to break down barriers and make mental health support accessible to all - including Deaf and hard of hearing people, with both their CEO and Team members, and the CEO of Colwyn Bay-based COS (Centre of Sign-Sight-Sound).
During an informative visit to water company Hafren Dyfrdwy's Llwyn Onn Water Treatment Works, Wrexham, I was given an overview of the site and the work their teams do, before going on a tour of the works.
As Wales Species Champion for the endangered Curlew, It was a pleasure to join RSPB Cymru on a site visit to the Mynydd Hiraethog (Denbigh Moors) 'Important Curlew Area' (ICA) site to mark World Curlew Day, which was on April 21st – and to see a Curlew flying there!
As a member of the campaign for Removal of Barriers Along the Flintshire Coastal Path, I joined campaigners for an update now that Flintshire County Council have committed to the review and removal of the barriers.
The current situation contravenes both the UK Equality Act (2010) and the legal and policy frameworks of the Welsh Government and Flintshire County Council itself, and I have been working with disabled people and others across Flintshire for a decade, seeking to work with Flintshire County Council to remove all barriers along the Wales Coastal Path that are managed by the Council, allowing access for all.
Other engagements included the Women's Rights Network vigil for the women of Afghanistan which took place at Queens Square in Wrexham.
For help, email Mark.Isherwood@senedd.wales or call 0300 200 7219.
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