This is a vlog post that I didn’t expect to write. But here I go.

First of all, it’s been a while, so for that I’m sorry—but this was too good an experience not to write about.

I have a voluntary  role with Guide Dogs; while I’m not in a position to work, it keeps me busy from time to time with interesting things to think about and do.

As part of my role this week, I was invited to the Houses of Parliament, no less!

The day was an opportunity to speak to MPs about the proposed white paper that will change the provision in education for students with SEND. I studied SEND and inclusion at university, so I have a theoretical knowledge as well as my personal experience to back it up.

Prior to the event, we were encouraged to contact MPs to ask them to come along and listen to how the government’s proposed changes could impact students who are blind or visually impaired.

contacted Angela Rayner. I have admired her for a long time and am grateful to her for giving working-class northern women like me a platform in a world that is not built for them.

I told her this, told her that I would really love to talk to her about the proposed reforms.

But, as I expected I didn’t hear back from my email.

On the day there was an awful lot of people there. Lots of guide dogs staff, service users and of course dogs. It’s great to see that as a charity guide dogs value of the service user so much.

Very quickly MPs began to come in and had very positive and interesting conversations. But there was no sign of Angela Rayner.

At first, I had a little hope that perhaps I’d meet her even if it were just bumping into her in the café or corridors. But as the day went on, my hope began to dwindle.

There was about an hour left, I was having a chat with somebody, when suddenly there was a tap on my shoulder and somebody said “there’s someone here to see you, Maisy”

I turned around, and there she was! All I could say was “no way!”

She gave me a hug, and we spoke for around 10 minutes on the proposed changes and her thoughts on SEND provision. It was really insightful interesting and she was so so kind. She told me she had read my email and was really touched by it. She came especially to see me! That’s the bit I can’t get over, she came to see me. 

I’m honestly still a little bit shocked, but an answer to the prompt from today, I took a risk, I emailed somebody I admired very much in the hope that I could potentially meet them, and it paid off.

Sometimes risks are worth taking.