Leading Learning Disability Rights campaigner coming to Neath

As part of the Neath Arts Festival, well-known theatre director and playwright Stephen Unwin will discuss his new book ‘Beautiful Lives’ with Sioned Williams MS, regional Member of Senedd for South Wales West and Chair of the Senedd Cross Party Group on Learning Disabilities.

Stephen Unwin, is the father of Joey, a young man who has severe learning disabilities, and has been campaigning for an improvement in the way that people with learning disabilities are viewed and treated.

His new book explores social and cultural attitudes towards people with learning disabilities throughout history and asks ‘how we got learning disabilities so wrong’.

The event takes place at 4.30pm in Neath Town Hall tomorrow on Thursday 16^th October as part of Neath Arts Festival and is free of charge, although donations are welcome.

Sioned Williams MS, Plaid Cymru Member of Senedd for South Wales West, said:

“As a part of the Neath Arts Festival, I’m delighted to host a discussion with Stephen Unwin on his new book, which is in equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming.

“As chair of the Cross Party Group on Learning Disability in the Senedd, I have long been campaigning on the rights of people with learning disabilities, who for so often struggle to make their voices heard.

“Stephen Unwin’s book resonates so strongly with many issues which are still causing injustice to people with learning disabilities in Wales. It reveals so powerfully a rarely told history with important messages for today, and I encourage anyone with an interest in disabled people’s rights specifically, and social justice more broadly, to come along on Thursday afternoon to what promises to be a memorable and important discussion.”