Along with 47 other Tom Chambers Newport

Along with 47 other Tom Chambers Newport traveled to Strasbourg and met up with 441 others from 21 European Countries. This time he traveled to Stansted by air and from there to Paris by Euro Star and from there to Strasbourg on the Train ò Grande Vitesse (TGV). This time I was accompanied by a Personal Assistant.
The purpose of this trip was to deliver a petition from people all over Europe with various disabilities to the European Parliament. The European Parliament is co-legislator for most of Europe's laws. It is a place where people from 27 member states come together to disagree, a place where political ideas and ideals meet, sometimes to clash, sometimes to be reconciled. Alliances are formed, deals are struck compromises made, in other words, it's the usual, sometimes glorious, sometimes inglorious, business of democratic politics.

Members of the European Parliament make decisions which affect you directly. The car you.. you drive, the air you breathe, the mobile phone in your pocket, the food you eat, the water you drink, the worker you employ, the bank you borrow from, the waste you discard.
The petition consisted of eight demands (8) which were compiled by European Network of Independent Living (ENIL) and the Centre for Independent Living Dublin (CIL Dublin). A total of 48 persons and their PA’s went from Ireland and were joined by 441 people from 21 countries from all over Europe to be there. Some took 3 days to get there you can imagine the strength of body and mind it took to do that?
On Tuesday al participants were formally introduces to Strasbourg by

Wednesday was the day of the march. All Freedom Drivers met at Parc Du Commardes at 10am where tee-shirts were given to all participants, sponsored by the Norwegian Group, and marched from there to the Parliament Buildings a distance of 1.6 kilometres. It was very uplifting and I was proud to be there. All participants were singing “We shall overcome” and chanting and mildly protesting! So can you imagine the scene? Both myself and my Tom were appropriately dressed in the Mayo colours and waiving the Red and Green flags of Mayo.

The meeting was chaired by Richard Howitt, Chairperson of the European Disability Federation (EDF). Several members of ENIL New Member States had their voices heard such as Bulgaria and Lithuania. As the meeting was about to close the President of the European Union, Mr. Jerzy Buzek, was presented with the Eight Petitions by the President of ENIL Bente Skansgard and it was a meaningful and poignant exchange.

The meeting was chaired by Richard Howitt, Chairperson of the European Disability Federation (EDF). Several members of ENIL New Member States had their voices heard such as Bulgaria and Lithuania. As the meeting was about to close the President of the European Union, Mr. Jerzy Buzek, was presented with the Eight Petitions by the President of ENIL Bente Skansgard and it was a meaningful and poignant exchange.

This trip would not be able to do without the generosity of all the people who had faith in me by helping to sponsor my trip to which I am extremely grateful.

After a quick lunch break the national groups moved over to the European Parliament to meet with their national MEPs. Ireland, Germany, Slovenia, Latvia, Sweden, Belgium, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Romania and Czech Republic all managed to secure a meeting with their European representatives. All participants seemed to be happy with the outcomes of their individual meetings and we hope that some serious follow-up will be happening in each country to avoid the two year gap in between the Freedom Drives.