Claire Morgan 15/05/2024 Member Stories

I’ve just sat down after coming from a meeting – it’s one meeting after another today.

I was asked to join the Board of the new CARE Research – this is a new project set up to look at standards of support for adults who receive social care. I was really pleased to be asked to represent All Wales People First and the learning disability sector on this Board.  I live in supported living and I also chair other meetings so I have the lived experience and the professional experience too.

Andrea was very impressed with how I came across at the introductory meeting.  It’s a diverse Board and we want to make sure that everyone who receives adult social care gets their voice heard.  We will meet at Cardiff University at least three times a year.

I’m still with my boyfriend, but he’s working this weekend and my family are away on holiday so I’m having some quiet time and a glass of wine this weekend!  Mum jokes that she has to book an appointment to see me because I’m so busy.

It’s important for me to be busy though – it helps with my motivation, gets me out of the flat and keeps me in a routine. I do suffer with poor mental health and am diagnosed with anxiety and depression. It’s under control now with medication and I have a toolkit of things to use when I have a bad day.  Keeping busy helps and my colleagues in work know about it and how to support me.  Mental Health Awareness Week is important to me.

Learning Disability Week is important to me too and AdFest is being held during that week. I’m coming to AdFest– supporting AWPF with one of their workshops and also Drive with their speaking slot, so I’ll be wearing two hats!  I’m really looking forward to it.