Completed petition Allow safe, socially-distanced watersports during coronavirus lockdowns
Outdoor activities and exercise are hugely beneficial to people’s mental and physical health. Blue space: canals, rivers, lakes, and coast are precious and safe sources of well-being, currently denied to us in Wales. As a result many of us are suffering from real mental health challenges.
We call on the Welsh Government to remove the phrase that suggests all water sports are banned during lockdown and allow access to local blue space provided travel restrictions are followed.
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We all agree that in lockdown we should “avoid activities that involve a significant degree of risk” whatever the environment where these are undertaken, in order to protect the emergency services. However we ask the Welsh Government remove the phrase that suggests all water sports fall into this category. Water-based activities such as kayaking, canoeing, surfing, SUP and outdoor swimming can provide excellent and safe exercise along with huge mental health benefits.
We call on the Welsh Government to reword this FAQ to read simply: “As one of the purposes of the restrictions is to reduce pressure on the Welsh NHS you should avoid activities that involve a significant degree of risk.”
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