Claire Morgan 24/07/2023 Member Stories

It’s taken a while for us to catch up because things have been non-stop busy for me.

I volunteer at Carmarthen People First on Mondays. I help with answering phones, photocopying, paperwork and making tea.

Gateway club with Mencap Ceredigion is on Tuesdays, and I also have a Maths tutoring session. I’m working towards a level 2 GCSE qualification because one day I’d like to work in health and social care. I need maths to go into the career I’d like. No date set for the exam yet. I’m just seeing how things go for now.

On Wednesdays I work at a charity shop, and in the evening there’s another Gateway Club in Newcastle Emlyn. I have to get a lift to Gateway because there are no public transport options.

Thursdays are chill days for me. I used to work an extra day at the charity shop, but someone else wanted to pick up a day, so I just do the one day there on a Wednesday now. Thursdays I have a nice sleep, watch tv and catch up with one of my favourite programmes Pobl y Cwm. Sometimes I do a bit of colouring.

On Fridays I go out with my PA. I get 5 hours support every week. We go for walks, bowling, cinema, anything really. In the evening go to Gateway Aberaeron. I can get the bus there independently but have to get a lift back because the buses don’t run in the evenings.

Saturdays are chill days too. I generally spend Saturdays with Mum, helping with chores, playing board games and going for walks with the dog.

On Sundays I sometimes meet up with a friend to walk her dog. The coastal path is beautiful.

Bus pass

I had a problem renewing my bus pass recently. It was very stressful! When I got on the bus, the driver said that my pass had been reported as lost or stolen and I couldn’t use it. The driver wouldn’t even let me on once while I checked the problem with my pass. I’d have been stuck if I didn’t have enough money on me. The return fare was £5.90 each way so not cheap.

I had no notice of the pass expiring, it just stopped working. Getting a new pass was a real stress. They wanted ID, which I don’t have. I don’t drive and can’t afford a passport. Mum had to get benefit letters and a doctor’s letter as proof that I’m eligible for a bust pass. The new pass came but it had been cancelled for some reason. What a mess!!

I had to borrow money for about 3 months for travel. You can imagine with travel most days being about £5.90 each way, the cost soon added up.

Voting

I’m worried about being able to vote the next time elections happen. If people need to take ID to the polling station, then I will be excluded because I don’t have any photo ID.

The All-Wales Strategy

I hope that we’ve come a long way since they brought the  strategy in 40 years ago. I have personal experience of being held in a hospital and being restrained. I was depressed when I had no freedom being locked up there so I definitely wouldn’t wany to go back 40 years when lots of people with learning disabilities had no freedom.  I’ve talked about my experience lately. All I’ll say it that I never want to go back there! It was terrible.

I think a lot more learning disability training is needed for staff working in mental health in-patient services. In all services actually. 

(photo credit Natasha Hirst Photography)