Val Feld

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Val Feld (née Valerie Breen Turner) (October 29, 1947 - July 17, 2001), was a Welsh politician.

Feld holds the distinction of being the first member of the National Assembly for Wales to die in office and thus cause a by-election, but she was also a highly-regarded politician with a history of social activism, and was chair of the Assembly's economic development committee.

Born in Bangor, Caernarvonshire, she was educated at the Abbey School in Malvern and in 1969 married John Feld, with whom she had two children. She became a local Labour councillor in Chorley, Lancashire, and worked as a social worker. In 1981, following the break-up of her marriage, she took a job in her native Wales as Director of Shelter Cymru. In her spare time she studied for an MA at Cardiff University, and in 1989 was appointed head of the Equal Opportunities Commission for Wales. She held the post for ten years, until her election as Assembly Member for Swansea East.

First Minister Rhodri Morgan said of her, "I believe I speak for the whole of Wales when I say that the death of Val Feld is a grievous blow for us all".

National Assembly for Wales
Preceded by (new post)	Assembly Member for Swansea East 1999–2001	Succeeded by Val Lloyd