Diolch, Llywydd. I’m really pleased that my first ministerial statement is about improving mental health in Wales as we mark Mental Health Awareness Week. The theme for this year’s event is ‘Movement: moving more for our mental health’. This week highlights the connection between the positive benefits physical activity can have on our mental health. Too often, we only talk about the impact it can have on our physical health, but we know that being active, moving, in whatever way we're able to, is really important to support our mental health and well-being.

When we talk about physical activity, many of us will conjure up images of lifting weights in gyms, running marathons or organised team sports. But while it can be all of those things, physical activity is also about working with your own body to incorporate movement into our daily routines. The Chief Medical Officer for Wales recommends that working-age adults do around 150 minutes of moderate, or 75 minutes of vigorous, exercise a week. There are different recommendations for other age groups and for disabled people. But the message is clear: whatever you are able to do, benefits are achieved at levels below or above those guidelines. Doing something every day has a positive impact on our physical and mental health. It could be about taking the stairs instead of the lift, doing the parkrun, going for a walk in your local community or doing some yoga. 

Our 'Healthy Weight: Healthy Wales' strategy acknowledges this link between physical movement and mental well-being and supports it through a range of interventions. Our 60-plus active leisure scheme, supported by £500,000 of Welsh Government funding, helps to increase physical activity levels, confidence, strength and balance, as well as providing opportunities to increase interactions and reduce social isolation, which we know is a risk factor for poorer mental health and well-being.

We have also invested in supporting the Football Association of Wales and the English Football League Trust in rolling out the Fit Fans programme to football clubs across Wales. With programmes up and running in Cardiff, Swansea, Newport and Wrexham, and projects in Aberystwyth and Newtown in the pipeline, early assessments show positive results. The schemes are not just supporting increased physical activity and weight loss, but also improvements in mental well-being. I look forward to receiving the fuller evaluation in due course.