Val Feld

Valerie Anne Feld (née Valerie Breen Turner; 29 October 1947 – 17 July 2001), was a Welsh Labour Party politician.

Background

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. Worked as a journalist in London and in housing advice, working in Lancashire. 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 – founding and becoming the first 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.^[1]

Political career

Local Labour councillor in Chorley, Lancashire. Treasurer 'Yes for Wales'. Member of the National Assembly for Wales for Swansea East from 1999 to July 2001.^[2]

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 (By-election fixed for 27 September 2001),^[3] but she was also a highly regarded politician with a history of social activism, and was Chair of the Assembly's Economic Development Committee until May 2001.

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".

References

Offices held