Diverse Cymru launch

As a result of previous involvement in the work of Cardiff Disabled Access Focus Group, I received an invitation to this morning's launch in the Welsh Assembly's Senedd building of  'Diverse Cymru'. Two of Wales' front line advocacy agencies - Cardiff & Vale Coalition of Disabled Persons and AWETU, working on mental health issues with black and ethnic minorities - have combined massive expertise, experience and resources to work on behalf of all kinds of people disadvantaged on grounds of disability, race, gender identity, sexual preference, age or religion, and become a national resource agency. Leader of the House Jane Hutt AM opened the launch. Cardiff Council's Deputy leader Judith Woodman was announced as the new organisation's first president.

About eighty people were present, from a variety of political and voluntary community organisations from all sorts of backgrounds and cultures. There may well have been people belonging to different faith groups but there wasn't anyone present I could identify as representing any religious body. There could be different reasons for this. The need to support this kind of advocacy work may not have caught the public attention of faith community leaders. Or, the work of organisations here joining forces may not have sought formally to recruit support from religious bodies. 

My interest in disability and equalities issues was stimulated as the City Centre redevelopment was coming to its conclusion. Access policy concerns remained an interest for me after retirement when our Amanda had for the first time to start using a wheelchair. I'm learning to look at the world differently and ask questions that were not on my horizon before. I may be able to make observations about religious cultural implications on equality and access issues as a result of professional and personal experience, but I don't represent any religious group. I look forward to the day when they rise to a new challenge of our time and start taking notice.

After the event I drove over to the new Steiner kindergarten in Roath to attend their celebration of St Nicholas patron saint of children and spiritual advocate of generosity and gift giving. Clare was involved in a eurythmy interpretation of the story told about St Nicholas. It was a real delight to watch. Then I took Clare to the station for a train to Coventry, as she's looking after Rhiannon this weekend, leaving me to my own devices.