Tommy Dunne tells Liverpool City councillors about his Alzheimer’s diagnosis, “At that time I had to hold out my hands and they put a diagnosis in one hand and in the other they put a superpower. That superpower was the ability to become invisible in society. Nothing has changed in the past seven years, I am still invisible.”

Tommy Dunne tells Liverpool City councillors about his Alzheimer’s diagnosis, “At that time I had to hold out my hands and they put a diagnosis in one hand and in the other they put a superpower. That superpower was the ability to become invisible in society. Nothing has changed in the past seven years, I am still invisible.”

Tommy Dunne addresses Liverpool City Council 16th January 2019 on disability

Tommy Dunne tells Liverpool City councillors about his Alzheimer’s diagnosis, “At that time I had to hold out my hands and they put a diagnosis in one hand and in the other they put a superpower. That superpower was the ability to become invisible in society. Nothing has changed in the past seven years, I am still invisible.”

                               

Tommy Dunne addresses Liverpool City Council 16th January 2019 on disability
Tommy Dunne addresses Liverpool City Council 16th January 2019 on disability

Yesterday before the public meeting of Liverpool City Council there was a protest outside Liverpool Town Hall about greenspace issues.

Amplified speeches to the protest were about injustice, suffering and threats to local greenspaces by Liverpool City Council.

The protestors are concerned (amongst other things) about an upcoming public meeting on Friday 18th January 2019 starting at 5.00 pm in the Council Chamber at Liverpool Town Hall to carry out pre-decision scrutiny of a Liverpool City Council Cabinet recommendation about land at St James Place EDITED 18.1.19 – Liverpool City Council has now cancelled this meeting.

However back to the public meeting of Liverpool City Council itself, which you can watch the first part below.

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The first public speaker from the Polish community (which starts at the 12:36 point in the video above) spoke about the death of the Mayor of Gdańsk and said, “but what was difficult was the negative toxic narrative of the political discussion in Poland”. In response to her speech she received a standing ovation and as the Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson was not present, Councillor Wendy Simon (Deputy Mayor) responded by saying, “I think it is a tragic time for the city of Gdańsk and for Poland, what a tragic time for all of us.”.

The second and third speakers (at 18:36 and 20:54) spoke about dementia. Tommy Dunne who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2011 said, “At that time I had to hold out my hands and they put a diagnosis is one hand and in the other they put a superpower. That superpower was the ability to become invisible in society. Nothing has changed in the past seven years, I am still invisible.”

Responding Cllr Wendy Simon (Deputy Mayor) said, “Their [referring to the Mayoral Leads] purpose is to go out into that community, right across the city, to meet with groups, to meet with organisations and to meet with local people to see how we change our services to meet their needs.”

Last to speak was UNISON’s National Officer for Community who quoting from a UNISON member said, “malicious allegations have been made against me” and was concerned about violence in the workplace.

Replying the Deputy Mayor indicated that she was a member of UNISON and that Liverpool City Council was happy to support the UNISON Charter.

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Author: John Brace

New media journalist from Birkenhead, England who writes about Wirral Council. Published and promoted by John Brace, 134 Boundary Road, Bidston, CH43 7PH. Printed by UK Webhosting Ltd t/a Tsohost, 113-114 Buckingham Avenue, Slough, Berkshire, England, SL1 4PF.