The Cambridgeshire Parliament

Cambridgeshire campaign

The Cambridgeshire Parliament is a forum of 35 people with a learning disability who are elected by their peers from around the county.

They hold bi-monthly meetings on subjects of their choosing and invite influential professionals to hear their views with the aim of making changes to the services they receive.

Susanna joined the Cambridgeshire Parliament in 2006 as part of the High Support Needs Committee. Susanna has complex needs herself and she believes passionately that people with learning difficulties have the right to have the services that they need.Susanna pioneered a campaign for Changing Places facilities to be put in across the county as there were none, meaning that people with complex needs did not have the same opportunities to participate as everyone else.

Susanna spoke to councillors and council officials to highlight the issue. She met with her local MP David Howarth and showed him exactly what facilities were needed and told him why it was so important for these facilities to be available. David Howarth backed the campaign and there is now a Changing Places facility being installed in Cambridge!

Susanna was delighted with this success and continues to campaign for more Changing Places toilets.