(Title Image: whatsontv.co.uk)
Welsh Government innovation requirements difficult for sports clubs to meet
Sian Gwenllian MS (Plaid, Arfon) welcomed the recent announcement of a £40million fund for sports clubs. However, the requirement for an innovation strategy to access the funds made things more difficult for clubs that may not have the know-how or income to draft one. Why was the focus on innovation rather than financial survival?
Deputy Minister for Culture, Tourism & Sport, Dafydd Elis-Thomas (Ind, Dwyfor Meirionnydd) said it wasn’t an attempt to restrict access to funding but is, in part, to end a “something for nothing” culture:
“….one of the things that’s been important to me over the years is that if people are to access public funds, that shouldn’t be available to them free of charge and that it’s just a matter of ticking the boxes, but that we also find new ways of working creatively in order to help to bring people through this crisis that we’re currently facing.”
– Deputy Minister for Culture, Tourism & Sport, Dafydd Elis-Thomas
Staying active through the winter
Laura Anne Jones MS (Con, South Wales East) said the last six months has taken its toll on people’s mental and physical health. Free virtual PE lessons from Joe Wicks helped households, of all ages, remain physically active during lockdown – maybe it was something the Welsh Government could learn from.
“I’m not suggesting that you and the First Minister start doing exercise videos for the nation, Minister, but it is something that is very good, and maybe we should we look into because it’s a great way of getting into people’s houses, helping them to exercise, encouraging them to exercise and maybe it’s something that we should look at on a Wales-wide basis and be free for use.”
– Laura Anne Jones MS
The Deputy Minister – while not eager to exercise on camera – thought the key was to repeat the messaging about the importance of physical activity, but also to ensure there’s a choice of activities for different ability levels.
All-weather sporting facilities were also a key part of things, with the Deputy Minister jokingly suggesting a budget to supply everyone with thermals.
