Claire Morgan 24/01/2024 Member Stories

I still haven’t got my bus pass renewed – I’m still using the old one and it seems to be working still.

Just before Christmas there was a consultation about public transport in our area.  Buses might be reduced or stopped because of funding but we won’t know until the new year.

Voter ID is definitely going to be an issue this year. It will be a problem for a lot of people with a learning disability if we have a general election.  I think there’s a Welsh Government website that you can go onto if you haven’t got photo ID and I think you can use your bus pass if you’ve got one.

I went down to Hertfordshire to see Electric Umbrella last week. I travelled on my own and the London Underground bit was a little scary but there were some very helpful and kind people who helped me. I had a great time and went to their open mic night and their shop and studio.  I even got to the O2 arena to listen to a choir.  I had worked over the new year, so I had a bit of extra money and I used that to fund the trip.

Christmas was quiet.  Dad did a lovely Christmas dinner.  I worked at the restaurant on New Year’s Eve and didn’t get home til 3 in the morning.

There are a few meetings coming up for me now.  The next Learning Disability Ministerial Advisory Group is a Monday morning at 10.00 and that means I’ll need to travel the night before.  Trains aren’t brilliant from where I live on Sundays – there are only 3 trains that go to Cardiff on Sundays.

The cost of living price rises are hard to deal with – I’m finding everything so expensive and that means I can’t get to some of the Gig Buddies things. It’s not just transport and accommodation, but food and drinks as well which are so expensive.

I did an interview with AWPF about the most significant change that self advocacy has had for me.  I really like the way Kelly wrote it up – it was brilliant to see how my life has changed for the better.

I hope to come to Cardiff for AdFest again this year. It’s the same week as Pride and I’m also seeing Pink in concert in Cardiff in June. I’m on call for work today, but I don’t think I’ll be be needed so I’m going to double check and then I’m going to head out with my friend for some drinks later.