Schools in Wales have a key part to play in our obesity battle

This campaign to get schools more involved in improving our health and fitness and in turn, hopefully helping to tackle obesity, really is a great idea.

Currently schools in Wales are perhaps something of an on under-used resource, with many closing their doors after 4pm on school days, not to mention being out of bounds on weekends and during school holidays.

One of the key factors stopping people from using leisure centres, particularly in more rural areas, is the cost and being able to access them. So it makes sense to utilise schools which are on the doorstep for most families. And with funding from the Welsh Assembly Government and the Sports Council for Wales, costs to the public are substantially reduced, or entry fees wavered completely.

This seems like a win-win situation to me. You have schools becoming the focal point of community activity, at the heart of where people live, being used in the evening and at weekends, meaning they’re less likely to be the targets of vandals and break-ins. As the same time they are providing a place for young people to go, occupying their time, so they don’t have to hang around on street corners. Plus, there is the added benefit that it encourages us all to get out of the house and get active. And this has never been more necessary, with more and more statistics these days to remind us how we’re piling on the pounds.

I really hope more schools in Wales now take the opportunity to open for longer and help to play a part in stemming what is fast becoming an obesity epidemic in the UK.