Senedd exhibition celebrates the power of using your voice

Ordinary people who have shaped the story of the Welsh Parliament are being celebrated in their very own exhibition at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay.

The Your Voice exhibition features the stories of seven people who have used their voice at the Senedd to call for change.

They include the person who presented a petition calling for a charge to be put on single-use carrier bags; a grieving mother whose campaign has resulted in better support for bereaved parents; and a cancer campaigner determined to secure better treatment for women across Wales.

The Your Voice exhibition, which is at the Senedd until 11 November 2024, offers an opportunity to watch and listen to the people’s individual stories told in their own words, and is part of the Senedd’s celebrations marking 25 years of devolution in Wales.

Shaping stories

Following the tragic loss of her son and husband within five days of each other, Rhian Mannings from Miskin, Rhondda Cynon Taf, started a Senedd petition calling for better support for parents following the sudden death of a child. The petition and her 2Wish charity campaign let to government introducing bereavement service for parents within 48hrs of a child’s death.

Claire O’Shea from Cardiff used her own experience to help the Senedd’s Health and Social Care Committee in their inquiry on gynaecological cancer services in Wales.

After her concerns were repeatedly dismissed by medics, leading to delays in diagnosis and treatment, Claire is putting pressure on Welsh Government to urgently improve services for women across Wales.

In 2016 Wales became the first country in Europe to introduce a law which links nursing staff numbers with the needs of patients.

Lisa Turnbull of the Royal College of Nursing, played an instrumental role in developing the Nurse Staffing Levels (Wales) Act, which has changed how hospitals ensure they have the right level of staff to meet the care needs of the patients.

Also featured in the Your Voice exhibition are two influential youngsters who sat on the first ever Welsh Youth Parliament from 2018 to 2021. Angel Azeadum from Cardiff and Cai Phillips from Carmarthenshire were among the first cohort of 60 to bring the voices of Wales’ young people to the heart of the debate at the Senedd.

Pushing for change

The Llywydd of the Senedd, Elin Jones MS says: “From the very beginning, people’s voices have shaped the story of the Senedd and will help shape its future too.

“For 25 years, our committees have turned to people in Wales as they investigated the issues that matter, pushing for changes to improve lives.

Senedd petitions, with their thousands of signatures, have changed law in Wales, from reducing single-use plastic to protecting animal welfare, and Members are working hard in their communities every day, speaking to people about the issues that matter to them.

“Politicians have come and gone, making their own contributions. But this is not a politicians’ Parliament – it belongs to the people of Wales, who forged its beginning and are shaping its The Llywydd of the Senedd, Elin Jones MS says: “From the very beginning, people’s voices have shaped the story of the Senedd and will help shape its future too.

The Your Voice exhibition can be seen at the Senedd until 11 November 2024.

Find out more about activities at the Senedd, including how to visit, book tours and other exhibitions here