Report finds a third of reception-age children are above a healthy weight as activity levels fall sharply in teenage years

A THIRD of children aged four and five in West Wales are above a healthy weight, according to new research which warns that too many young people are heading towards a future of preventable ill health.

The findings are included in a new State of the Region report commissioned by Activate West Wales, covering Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Swansea and Neath Port Talbot.

The report found that fewer than one in four primary school children across the region are achieving the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity each day. By secondary school age, that figure drops to just 19 per cent.

Researchers also identified a clear gap between boys and girls, with boys significantly more active. Between 22 and 24 per cent of boys meet the daily activity target, compared with just 13 to 14 per cent of girls.

Sedentary behaviour was also found to be high across the region, with children in some areas spending seven or more hours inactive on weekdays. Swansea and Neath Port Talbot recorded levels above the Wales average, while girls were found to be more sedentary than boys in all four local authority areas.

The report brings together data from a range of sources to highlight patterns, inequalities and areas where more targeted action could improve health and wellbeing through sport and physical activity.

There were some more positive findings. Children and young people in West Wales were found to be taking part in organised sport three times a week at a higher rate than the Wales average.

However, girls’ participation remained lower than boys in every local authority area.

The review also looked at demand for different activities. Children and young people with disabilities highlighted interest in weightlifting, tennis and archery, while those without disabilities most commonly chose swimming, football and cycling.

Dr Susan Barnes, chair of Activate West Wales, said: “This first State of the Region review gives us the most comprehensive picture to date of sport, physical activity and health across West Wales.

“The evidence in the report presents a clear and uncomfortable truth: unless we act decisively now, too many people across our regional footprint will face a future marked by preventable ill health, widening inequality, and diminished opportunity.

“Without intervention, today’s inactive child is highly likely to become tomorrow’s unhealthy adult.”

Jamie Rewbridge, chief executive of Activate West Wales, said tackling the problem would require long-term action across government, councils, health boards, schools, businesses, clubs and community groups.

He said: “This report is not an end point, but a starting line for lasting change.”

WELSH Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds has called on the next Welsh Government to do more to support small businesses, after new figures showed that less than half of public procurement spending goes to small and medium-sized enterprises, despite them making up more than 99 per cent of all businesses in Wales.

Figures obtained by Ms Dodds through a Written Question to the Welsh Government show that of the £777 million spent through Welsh Government procurement in 2023/24, only £260 million went to SMEs. In comparison, more than £319 million was spent with large firms, while almost £198 million went to public sector or unidentified suppliers.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats say they want to put small and medium-sized Welsh businesses at the forefront of government procurement if they are in a position to influence the next Welsh Government.

The figures also show a drop in the proportion of spending retained in Wales, falling from 51 per cent in 2023/24 to 45 per cent in 2024/25, raising concerns that more public money is flowing to suppliers based outside the country.

Over the past five years, the proportion of Welsh Government spending going to SMEs has remained below 40 per cent, despite small and medium-sized firms dominating the Welsh economy and employing people in communities across the country.

Jane Dodds said: “These figures show that small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of our economy, yet they are being short-changed when it comes to government contracts.

“At a time when local firms are under pressure from rising costs, energy bills and red tape, the Welsh Government should be doing far more to make sure public money supports jobs and growth here in Wales.

“It is deeply concerning to see the proportion of spending staying in Wales fall so sharply. The Government says it backs Welsh businesses, but these figures suggest otherwise.

“Small firms tell me they feel locked out of procurement opportunities and burdened by unnecessary bureaucracy. There is huge potential for the Welsh Government to use its spending power to drive local prosperity, but too much of it still goes to large companies outside Wales.

“If we want a thriving Welsh economy that rewards hard work, innovation and community roots, we must put small businesses at the heart of government policy. The Welsh Liberal Democrats would make it easier for SMEs to compete, reform business rates and create a fairer, simpler procurement system that works for local enterprises.”

I can also turn this into a more punchy newspaper version with headline and sub-heading.

Charity says families caring for loved ones at the end of life are being left without the support they urgently need

UNPAID carers across Wales are being pushed to breaking point, Marie Curie has warned, as fresh scrutiny from the Senedd piles pressure on the next Welsh Government to deliver urgent change.

The end of life charity has backed a new report from the Senedd’s Health and Social Care Committee, which highlights the immense pressures facing unpaid carers and calls for major improvements in the support available to them.

Marie Curie said the findings reflect what it hears repeatedly from families caring for dying relatives behind closed doors, often with little training, limited respite and nowhere near enough practical help.

Natasha Davies, Marie Curie Cymru’s Senior Policy Manager, said: “Marie Curie welcomes today’s report highlighting the immense challenges that unpaid carers throughout Wales continue to face. We add our voice to calls for the incoming Welsh Government to make the recommended changes, to significantly improve the support that unpaid carers can access.

“While the report does not specifically reference the needs and experiences of end of life unpaid carers, in our evidence to the inquiry we highlighted how this group have distinct needs and experiences.

“The support available to them has to be responsive to this, which is why, as a leading end of life charity, Marie Curie continues to call for the development of training in the essential skills needed to care for someone at the end of life.

“A system that is overly reliant on unpaid care is far from ideal and must change. But for as long as this is our reality, we must ensure that unpaid end of life carers are supported far better than they currently are.”

The committee’s report paints a stark picture of life for carers in Wales, with concerns over poor access to respite care, inconsistent assessments and the growing toll caring responsibilities can take on mental health, finances and family life.

Marie Curie said that for those supporting someone at the end of their life, the pressure can be even more intense. The charity argues that end of life carers have distinct needs, but these are too often overlooked in wider policy discussions.

It says carers in these situations need better access to training, clearer support from professionals, and a system that recognises just how demanding and distressing this role can be.

Jane Dodds, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, said: “We have long been the voice championing unpaid carers, and this report confirms what carers across Wales have been telling us for years, they are at breaking point and being badly let down.

“It is unacceptable that hundreds of thousands are propping up our care system while so few receive even the most basic support. No one should have to fight or beg for help after dedicating their lives to caring for others.

“The Welsh Liberal Democrats would treat this as an urgent priority, delivering proper respite care, faster assessments and real financial support so carers are no longer taken for granted.”

The intervention adds to growing calls for unpaid carers to receive greater recognition and more meaningful help, rather than being left to prop up a system under severe strain.

With Senedd elections on the horizon and a new Welsh Government strategy on unpaid carers under discussion, the issue is likely to become an increasingly sharp political test in the months ahead.