Wales’ older generation appear on film to call for their human rights to be respected
AGE CYMRU PRODUCED THE FILM TO SUPPORT THE WELSH GOVERNMENT’S STRATEGY FOR AN AGEING SOCIETY
IN every corner of Wales, there is an issue of concern for certain members of the community. The older they get, the more chance they feel that they will be deprived of something that they hold very dearly.
For them, human rights breaches are not problems they witness on television from a faraway country, but a reality in their everyday lives. Now, some of them have spoken about the matters that affect them and their contemporaries in a powerful film produced by Age Cymru, the charity for older people in Wales.
In it, they stand their ground, not that they think they should have to. But modern life moves at such a pace that maybe they are in danger of getting left behind and the opportunity to remind the rest of society of the need to show them the respect they deserve was too good a one to miss.
‘’WE ARE ENTITLED TO THE SAME HUMAN RIGHTS AS ALL OTHER GENERATIONS”
The cleverly-animated film was produced by community arts facilitators and artists
Jon Ratigan and Emma Prentice and features a diverse range of voices. It is introduced by Age Cymru chairman Professor John Williams, who sets the scene perfectly as he stresses the individuality of what he calls a diverse group of people.
“Issues such as dignity, choice, respect, equal treatment, no labels, no discrimination and the right to use the language of your choice all feature in this film,” he said. “Human rights do not diminish with age.
As older people, we are entitled to the same human rights as all other generations.”
It is all about being able to contribute to society and not being discriminated against on any grounds, with John pledging: “At Age Cyrmu, we will continue to protect and promote the human rights of people.”
The film is part of the Welsh Government’s delivery plan for the Strategy for an ageing society. Many of the points in the plan for making Wales a brilliant place to grow older are also echoed by the older people on camera; ensuring older people have choices, are safe from abuse and have access to community resources like toilets and parks.
EVERYONE BREATHES THE SAME AIR
Louisa St Bartholomew-brown Morgan is a freelance actor, a union activist and is from Builth Wells. She is also aged 70, but she sees that as incidental and, therefore, as no barrier to the human rights that she believes, with a passion, that are due her.
“My freedom, my independence, right to every resource that is available, to have the same rights as everyone who is breathing the same air as I am,” she said. “I have the same rights.”
Jenny-anne Bishop, chairwoman Unique TG North Wales and aged 76 from Rhyl, said: “I think the most important human right for me is the right to live as the person you are, which is encompassed in the right to privacy and dignity.”
Wyn, from Carmarthen, describes himself as a supporter of Age Cymru.
“We all have the right to have the freedom to think what we want, to have the freedom to do what we want,” he said. “And no one should hold us back because we’re any colour, or belief, or religion, or any gender and things like that.”
At 72, Jeanette Edwards seems as busy as ever as a library service volunteer and a LIFT - low impact functional training trainer. She is even involved in promoting the health benefits of the Chinese martial art tai chi to her contemporaries. She likes to dress young because that is the way she feels.
“So if I love to wear my flowers in my hair, if I love to wear loopy earrings, if I love to wear my scarves, I think to myself that as long as I can be me, I’m okay,” she said. “I don’t want to be stereotyped as an old person. I still feel I am young inside.”
Amal Beyrouty, aged 73 from Cardiff, manages the Golden Year and Let’s Age Well projects for Women Connect First. Like all the others, human rights are important to her, perhaps not something that should need to be raised as an issue.
“I have the right to be heard and to be understood and respected,” she said. “Maybe, yes, I am older, maybe something seems to me to be much bigger than it seems to you at your age but you have to respect me and my feelings, and not just take me lightly.”
You can watch the full film on agecymru.org.uk/humanrights.
The charity is also encouraging people to show the film to others at organisations like faith groups, WI groups, and social clubs. If people do not have the internet, Age Cymru can bring the film to them.
For more information on Age Cymru, visit agecymru.org.uk/humanrights or ring 029 2043 1555 Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm.
You can also visit the Welsh language version of Age
Cymru’s human rights page at agecymru.org.uk/hawliaudynol
AMLWCH
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HEAR TO HELP: The NHS Volunteer Community ‘Hearing aid Drop-in service’ is cancelled until further notice. Please contact Audiology if you have a problem.
CITIZENS ADVICE: Bureau. Advice line Cymru - Monday-friday 9am-5pm, 03444772020. You can also access www. Adviceguide.org.uk
ROYAL VOLUNTARY SERVICE: is looking for new volunteers to join the team and help with its Community Transport, Good Neighbours and Positive Steps services in Gwynedd and Ynys Mon. If you have a few spare hours a week and would like to make a difference in someone’s life, the RVS would like to hear from you. Contact Gwenda Hughes on 01248 661915 or Gwenda.hughes@royalvoluntaryservice. org.uk.
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VALLEY
HEAR TO HELP: The NHS Volunteer Community ‘Hearing aid Drop-in service’ is cancelled until further notice.
Please contact Audiology if you have a problem.