00:00The first question is from James Evans.
00:02How is the Welsh Government working with sports governing bodies to support the armed forces?
00:08Diolch. The Welsh Government has an enduring moral duty to support our armed forces in all
00:13aspects of their daily lives. Our remit letter to Sports Wales makes it clear
00:17we expect to see improved access to sports and opportunities for all,
00:20including members of the armed forces.
00:23Thank you, and it's very positive that Sports Wales have signed the armed forces covenant,
00:26but I'd like us to go a little bit further, and I'd like to know, would the Welsh Government
00:31consider setting up an armed forces-friendly sports club scheme across Wales to better
00:36support serving personnel, veterans and their families? I think this could be done working
00:41with the RRU and the Football Association of Wales and other bodies across the country,
00:46and I think such a scheme could have a real difference helping improve the mental and
00:50physical wellbeing of our veterans and those in the process of leaving armed forces and
00:55transitioning to civilian life, and strengthening those community ties between our armed forces
01:01and our sports bodies across Wales. So, I think this is something, Minister, that I
01:06think could work, and I'd be very interested to hear whether you would give your support
01:10for such a scheme being established across Wales.
01:13Can I thank James Evans for the question and for his support for the armed forces community,
01:20Presiding Officer? I know he's a member of the armed forces cross-party group, and
01:24I enjoyed my time on that cross-party group. I think it's an invaluable cross-party group
01:31of this Senedd. I too was pleased that, in December, Sports Wales became a signatory
01:36of the armed forces covenants, committing to treat fairly those who serve or who have
01:41served in the armed forces and their families, and they did that because of the work of the
01:47cross-party group and the support of the Welsh Government. Promoting defence employer recognition
01:54schemes is another way in which sports clubs can, and governing bodies can, show support
01:58for the armed forces community. It's not just Sports Wales who've signed the covenants,
02:03Presiding Officer. The Member will be interested to know that elite clubs such as the Scarlets,
02:09such as Glamorgan County Cricket Club and such as Wrexham AFC have also committed to
02:15signing the covenants as well. The Member asked a particular question. I'm happy to
02:22consider his request and see what that may entail, but have the conversation with Sports
02:28Wales and key stakeholders such as the Welsh Rugby Union as a FAW to see where we can further
02:33strengthen our support for the armed forces community. Presiding Officer, it also gives
02:38me the chance in response to this questionóI know the Member joined me in a Senedd event
02:43just last month with those taking part in the Invictus Games. We often talk about the
02:50role that sport can play in helping people go through trauma and process trauma or adjust
02:57to change, and the Invictus Games is a shining example of that, and I wish them all the very
03:03best in Canada taking place now, I believe, Presiding Officer.
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