Help needed across Social Media #SaveWILG

I am requesting help on Twitter, and social media in general, to get the message across to Assembly Members across Wales that there is still time to reverse the awful decision to close WILG and transfer all responsibilities for Independent Living to local authorities.

This is a crucial time for the #SaveWILG campaign as we are hoping to convince Assembly Members that they need to take action and protect people with high care and support needs across Wales by saving the Welsh Independent Living Grant.

We should be respectfully sending these Tweets to First Minster Mark Drakeford (@fmwales) and Deputy Health Minister Julie Morgan AM (@JulieMorganLAB). Both of these politicians are genuinely good people who I believe who will do their best for us. However, the more we can display the strength of feeling behind the #SaveWILG Campaign, the more evidence they have that they are doing the right thing in not listening to civil servants or Local Authorities

Other key people to contact are members of the Petitions Committee who are continuing to consider our petition – David Rowlands (@DavidRowlandsAM ‏), Janet Finch Saunders (@JFinchSaunders), Mike Hedges (@MikeHedgesAM), Rhun Ap Iorwerth (@RhunapIorwerth) and Neil McEvoy (@neiljmcevoy). Any pressure we can put on politicians has to be a good thing as they need to realise the devastation that the decision to close WILG will have on disabled people and their families. The outgoing Carwyn Jones (@fmwales) and Huw Irancca Davies (@huw4ogmore) are also worth a tweet to remind them that this campaign is still going strong.

Hashtags

The following hashtags are good to use at the end of the suggested messages below as they will increase the potential audience and help raise awareness. For a full run down on how hashtags work you can click here but in the meantime we have hashtags to decide on and tweets to send. Some suggested hashtags are as follows:

Obviously the following hashtags should be used only when the associated TV programme is being aired, or on the relevant day of the week. For example, #bbcqt should only be used while ‘Question Time’ is being aired. Likewise, the popular hashtag #FridayFeeling should only be used on a Friday.

#bbcqt

#bbctw

#marr

#WalesLive

#ITVSharpEnd

#Brexit

#BrexitShambles

#MondayMotivation

#TuesdayThoughts

#WednesdayWisdom

#ThursdayThoughts

#FridayFeeling

#WeekendVibes

#Corrie

#Emmerdale

#EastEnders

A general list of AM Twitter handles can be found below along with a suggested Tweet and electronic postcards and memes that can be attached to Tweets for greater impact. Even if you only manage to Tweet a handful of AMs, this could make a real difference to disabled people across Wales.

Thanks for your support.

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SUGGESTED TWEETS (these can be edited accordingly but serve as a guideline. You may also use these suggested Tweets as Facebook messages):

@fmwales @JulieMorganLAB Brexit may seem like the only game in town, but while politicians squabble over our withdraw from the European Union, disabled people with high care and support needs across Wales are in danger due to the loss of WILG. #SaveWILG #BrexitShambles

@fmwales @JulieMorganLAB @MikeHedgesAM @KenSkatesAM @IanCLucas @jeremycorbyn @UKLabour are honouring the vote at conference that decided on their Brexit strategy, so why aren’t @WelshLabour listening to the overwhelming vote at conference in April 2018 to #SaveWILG? #Brexit

@fmwales @JulieMorganLAB A must watch for everyone. What sort of society is highlighted by the loss of WILG and the tripartite system? #SaveWILG – Social Model of Disability https://youtu.be/24KE__OCKMw via @YouTube

@fmwales @JulieMorganLAB Who is in charge of policy in Wales? The Welsh Government or the Welsh LGA? The former needs a tighter reign on the latter to stop them ruining lives. Now is the time for the @WelshGovernment to show humanity and humility to #SaveWILG

@fmwales @JulieMorganLAB @vaughangething @KenSkatesAM @MikeHedgesAM @lesley4wrexham @johnpringdns Essential reading shows how the Welsh Government are failing to protect Disability Rights in Wales… #SaveWILG https://nathanleedavies.wpcomstaging.com/2019/01/27/ehrc-report-into-disability-rights-in-wales-savewilg/?fbclid=IwAR2pP0WeR0aYsJMCA2-IJTFHGGl3m03_QkYisJgRQLAk1FXIuZGVrRFmWt0

@DavidRowlandsAM @JFinchSaunders @MikeHedgesAM @RhunapIorwerth @neiljmcevoy @SeneddPetitions Essential reading. This is ur chance to support disabled people with high care needs across Wales. https://nathanleedavies.wpcomstaging.com/2018/11/02/are-things-changing-in-welsh-labour-specific-to-saving-the-welsh-independent-living-gran

@MarkIsherwoodAM @JFinchSaunders @MikeHedgesAM @RhunapIorwerth @neiljmcevoy @SeneddPetitions Essential reading from @johnpringdns: https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/welsh-governments-independent-living-decision-threatens-support-of-hundreds/ … #SaveWILG<

@fmwales @JulieMorganLAB Social care is in crisis. Those with the highest care and support needs rely on WILG and governmental support. The tripartite system for deciding care packages must be preserved and protected. #SaveWILG

@fmwales @JulieMorganLAB Disabled ppl with high care and support needs are in search of your support to maintain Independent Living for all. #SaveWILG

@fmwales @JulieMorganLAB This is the impact of closing the ILF in England https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-living-fund-post-closure-review We will not let the same thing happen in Wales. #SaveWILG

~~@fmwales @JulieMorganLAB #~~SaveWILG – The Movie https://nathanleedavies.wpcomstaging.com/2018/09/28/savewilg-the-movie/ … via @wordpressdotcom

These Tweets should be accompanied by some of the many postcard photographs, electronic postcards and memes.

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I have updated this list of Twitter handles which was a little dated. Please remember that messages can also be sent via Facebook with accompanying memes.

David Melding @DavidMeldingAM

Lynne Neagle @lynne_neagle

Gareth Bennett AC/AM @GarethBennettAM

David Rowlands AC/AM @DavidRowlandsAM

Hefin David AC/AM @hef4caerphilly

Caroline Jones AC/AM @carolineUKIP

Dr Dai Lloyd AC/AM @DaiLloydAM

Michelle Brown AM @MishBrownAM

Carwyn Jones AM/AC @AMCarwyn

Joyce Watson AM @JoyceWatsonam

Nathan Gill @NathanGillMEP

Neil Hamilton AC/AM @NeilUKIP