A YOUNG paralympian from Brecon has produced a play about battling the government’s new disability system.
Rhiannon Barber, 17, has independently written and produced her play, ‘Nameless’, which is about the journey of a young person encountering Personal Independence Payment.
The Christ College pupil will also be starring as the protagonist in the play along with her close friends from around Wales who make up the rest of the cast: Lara Balcombe, Lilly Hughes, Sophie Jones, Rhodri Thornber, Elizabeth Ashcroft, Ted Drinkall and Adonijah Airede.
Rhiannon was born with Left Erbs Palsy which means her left arm is partially paralysed. She said: “It affects me in many ways which my mum, who is also disabled, helps me with such as tying my hair back, dressing, and preparing food. It has got me to some amazing places like being a part of the Disability Sport Wales Academy [Welsh Paralympic team], doing discus and long jump, and I’m now transitioning into bodybuilding as a disabled person.”
The young playwright appealed the Department of Work and Pensions’ (DWP) decision that she was only entitled to the lower rate of PIP despite being classified in the same category as an arm amputee and in receipt of the higher Disability Living Allowance (DLA) since she was a child.
Rhiannon successfully appealed the decision in February after a 13-month-long battle with the DWP. She said: “I’ve fought for PIP on my own, due to my mother being disabled herself, since I was 16 and only recently this year actually won in court.
“After hearing stories of other people going through the process I started to realise that there was a big problem with this new system.”
The play, for which tickets are being offered free on a first-come-first-served basis, is on Friday, November 24 at 7pm at Christ College. For more information about the Giving Voices campaign visit their Facebook page or email [email protected].