'We discussed employment for disabled adults'

MS for North Wales

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and I met charity ‘Young Lives vs Cancer’, formerly CLIC Sargent Cancer Care for Children, to speak about how we can improve the experiences of children and young people with cancer.

I visited Wrexham University for an introductory meeting with its new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Joe Yates. Discussion included the financial challenges facing the University sector and the University’s focus on meeting the needs of local industry, employers and communities.

‘Mind Our Future/Meddwl Ymlaen’ is a youth project based in North Wales focused on supporting young people’s mental health and resilience, with the voice of young people at its heart, and I attended the ‘Mind Our Future’ Conference at Bangor University hosted by Barnardo’s Cymru.

I also joined a Senedd/Welsh Parliament Education Officer at Prestatyn Youth Centre, speaking with a group from Prestatyn Senior Youth Group about how the Senedd works, the life of a Member of the Senedd and issues concerning them.

During a meeting with the Founder/Managing Director of non-profit organisation ‘ReSource Denbighshire CIC’ at their community café in Ruthin, we discussed employment for disabled adults and difficulties they are currently experiencing with progression of disabled adults with support needs to employment. Working across North Wales, they support and promote skills training, work placements and supported progression to employment, with a specific focus on work with disabled adults.

As Chair of the Senedd’s Cross-Party Group on Fuel Poverty and Energy Efficiency, I was pleased to attend fuel poverty charity National Energy Action (NEA)’s North Wales Fuel Poverty Forum at Conwy Business Centre, particularly pertinent with bills expected to rise by 12% in October with the new price cap and around 400,000 households in Wales to lose up to £300 per person following the UK Government’s decision to end the universal Winter Fuel Payment. I also met with the Cross-Party Group’s Secretariat, provided by NEA Cymru, to discuss our 25th September AGM and Meeting.

Other engagements included Chairing a meeting of the Senedd Cross-Party Group on Deaf Issues, and meeting a volunteer within the deaf community in Mold and the Flintshire area to discuss my British Sign Language (BSL) (Wales) Bill. As she says, “so much more could be done”.

I also joined campaigners calling on the UK Labour Government to reverse its decision to end Winter Fuel Payments for up to 109,677 pensioners in North Wales and attended a meeting of the Conservative Disability Group Executive as their Parliamentary Champion in the Senedd.

For my help, email Mark.Isherwood@senedd.wales or call 0300 200 7219.