Monzur Miah talks to Lucy and Siraaj about his work and why he wants to become a MP in Walsall for the Peoples Parliament.

I had the pleasure of meeting Monzur at a Healthwatch Advisory Board Group meeting in London recently, only to find out that he lives a few miles away from me in Walsall. We talked about many things, including the development of the Peoples Parliament in Walsall and arranged to meet with him at his home in the following weeks.

The sun was shining when Siraaj and I went to visit Monzur at home, both literally and metaphorically as his experience in the world of health and social care is vast. Monzur is a board member of Walsall LINk, a member of the communications group for the formation of Healthwatch with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), a member of the LINks advisory group with the CQC and an 'expert by experience'. He has been the Disability Officer for his local labour party constituency and now works for Walsall MBC as an Advocacy and Quality Assurance Assistant. Self-advocacy is nothing new to Monzur, as he has learnt through personal experience to speak up, often countlessly to have his voice heard and the chance to live as an equal citizen in the community that he lives in.

Changing Our Lives are thrilled to welcome Monzur to his role as an MP in Walsall and look forward to working with him in the autumn on the Peoples Parliament.

Please click on the video to hear what Monzur had to say....