A Day of Filming in the Senedd: Sharing Women’s Political Journeys
By Paige Abrey
The day reaffirmed just how powerful representation can be.
Last week, I had the incredible opportunity to spend a day inside the Senedd, the Welsh Parliament, capturing the stories of women who serve as Members of the Senedd (MSs).
As part of Elect Her’s mission to support and encourage more women to get politically active, we filmed a series of informal and reflective interviews designed to educate, inspire, and motivate the next generation of women leaders in Wales.
We spoke to a brilliant cross-party group of MSs: Joyce Watson (Welsh Labour), Heledd Fychan and Sioned Williams (Plaid Cymru), Natasha Asghar (Conservatives), Jane Dodds (Liberal Democrats), and Julie Morgan (Welsh Labour).
Each interview was a powerful, honest reflection on why they first stood for office, the change they hoped to create, and the challenges they’ve faced along the way.
From overcoming self-doubt to relying on formal party support or informal networks of family and friends, their journeys were personal and varied but all had one thing in common: they started with the decision to stand.
They also shared what surprised them most since being elected, their proudest moments, and their frustrations. Whether highlighting the need for better representation or the importance of lived experience in decision-making spaces, their insights offered a real look at what it's like to be a woman in Welsh politics.
In my role behind the scenes, I helped capture the moments in between: the sense of community before interviews, the openness to participate, and the unscripted smiles.
These small moments fed into social media content that brought their stories to life in an authentic, accessible way.
I was also lucky enough to sit in on First Minister’s Questions, an interesting but often intense part of the political week. Topics ranged from the NHS to farming and budget spending, offering a glimpse into the current priorities in Wales and the kinds of issues these women are helping shape.
The day reaffirmed just how powerful representation can be.
It showed me, and hopefully soon, many others that political spaces are not just for “career politicians” but for women from all walks of life, ready to make change.
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