Claire Morgan 23/08/2024 Joe's Soapbox

National Eisteddfod, Pontypridd

It was lovely to have attended the National Eisteddfod 2024 in Pontypridd.

All Wales People First had a stall to promote the Through Our Eyes on Tour photography project.

The original Through our Eyes project produced a series of pictures showing people with learning disabilities how theylike to be seen.

We produced an exhibition of pictures and an online picture bank for the media and other people to use.

You will remember that we held an event at the Senedd in November 2021 to launch the images.

It was sponsored by Jane Hutt MS who was the Minister of Social Justice.

The First Minister at the time, Mark Drakeford launched the exhibition and gave a speech at the launch event.

The launch event was a big success.

The feedback people gave us said we should tour the exhibition around Wales.

We attended the Eisteddfod to launch the project tour. It is called Through our Eyes on Tour.

We hope to tour the exhibition across Wales later this year and next year.

Having a stall at the Eisteddfod was a big success.

It was organised by Kelly Stuart.

She did an excellent job with lots of help from AWPF staff and Volunteers.

We were visited by lots of the general public and people representing organisations.

Many politicians too, including:

• Eluned Morgan MS, First Minister of Wales
• Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
• Rt Hon Mark Drakeford MS, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care.
• Sarah Murphy MS, Minister for Mental Health and Early Years.
• Rhun ap Iorwerth MS, Plaid Cymru Party leader.
• Heledd Fychan MS
• Peredur Owen Griffiths MS

Visitors told us where they would like to see the Through our Eyes exhibition on tour.

They also had a selfie in our selfie frame to show their support for the project and the tour.

We are doing a bid to get some money to tour the exhibition in more places.

We will let you know about any updates.

Changing perceptions about people with learning disabilities will take a long time.

It is important that people with learning disabilities have a say about how they want to be seen.

And show how they can take part in Welsh Society.

We need to keep spreading that message.

We need to keep being visible.

This is why the Through Our Eyes project is so important.

Victory for self-advocacy!