Saturday, July 12, 2025
A remarkable politician
As the site says, Val Feld’s plaque, the first Purple Plaque in Wales, is located on the Senedd building in Cardiff Bay, and was unveiled by her daughters and granddaughters on 6th March 2018:
Val was born Valerie Breen Turner in Bangor on 29 October 1947 and died in Swansea on 17 July 2001.
She was one of the most highly regarded members of the National Assembly for Wales across the political spectrum, as one of the leading architects of devolution, achieved in 1997. She promoted women’s participation in Welsh politics. At the time the Welsh Cabinet was the first in the world to have a majority of women members, which was remarkable in a very traditional, macho political culture.
Val became the first Director of Shelter Cymru in 1981, independent from the English organisation for the first time. After completing a Women’s Studies course in Cardiff, she was appointed Director of the Equal Opportunities Commission in Wales. Val was instrumental in ensuring that the Government of Wales Act 1998 included clauses requiring due regard to equal opportunities.
All Val’s work was underpinned by her commitment to equality and social justice, and she was a powerful force for women and minority groups, including Swansea Women’s Centre, Jazz Heritage Wales, Women’s Archive of Wales, Multi Ethnic Women’s Network (MEWN Swansea) and Chwarae Teg.
I served in the National Assembly for Wales with Val, who represented Swansea East, the constituency I lived in. She was a force to be reckoned with.
Val was born Valerie Breen Turner in Bangor on 29 October 1947 and died in Swansea on 17 July 2001.
She was one of the most highly regarded members of the National Assembly for Wales across the political spectrum, as one of the leading architects of devolution, achieved in 1997. She promoted women’s participation in Welsh politics. At the time the Welsh Cabinet was the first in the world to have a majority of women members, which was remarkable in a very traditional, macho political culture.
Val became the first Director of Shelter Cymru in 1981, independent from the English organisation for the first time. After completing a Women’s Studies course in Cardiff, she was appointed Director of the Equal Opportunities Commission in Wales. Val was instrumental in ensuring that the Government of Wales Act 1998 included clauses requiring due regard to equal opportunities.
All Val’s work was underpinned by her commitment to equality and social justice, and she was a powerful force for women and minority groups, including Swansea Women’s Centre, Jazz Heritage Wales, Women’s Archive of Wales, Multi Ethnic Women’s Network (MEWN Swansea) and Chwarae Teg.
I served in the National Assembly for Wales with Val, who represented Swansea East, the constituency I lived in. She was a force to be reckoned with.
As I said in the Plenary session following her death, her work on homelessness and equal opportunities, and in other fields was pioneering. She was a builder of opportunity for those who had been unable to find their own voice.
