Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer; thank you for the opportunity to participate in this debate. I've raised a number of times in the virtual Chamber, and in correspondence with Government over the past few months, the need to do everything possible through the difficult days of the pandemic to ensure that people do receive support and encouragement to exercise, to access fresh air, not only because of the physical benefits, but also because of the benefits in terms of mental health and well-being too.

I'm very fortunate that I can exercise regularly from home, and do so with company. Since the beginning of the first lockdown, some five days a week, around 7 in the morning, my wife and I go running. It varies from around 2.5 miles to 6 miles, and both of us are entirely convinced that the fact that we've been able to do that, and to do that regularly, which has benefitted us physically—the fact that we're starting the day in such a positive way, even if it is dark, cold and wet—has helped us through this period. But not everybody can do that. There are all sorts of reasons why people need something else, something more structured, in terms of maintaining their physical fitness—reasons of access, as Jenny Rathbone mentioned. There may be specific reasons why people can't access the open air; there are reasons of isolation and loneliness. And losing gyms has been a grave blow to many people. Michelle Adams—the petitioner behind the petition on keeping gyms open—is a constituent of mine, a member of CrossFit Place in Gaerwen. And in addition to the owner, Phil Brown, I've heard from a number of members of that gym about their heartbreak—and that isn't an over statement—when the gym has had to close at various points during the past 12 months, in terms of camaraderie and physical and mental health and well-being.

Now, in a letter to the Minister for health back in the autumn I suggested that gyms should be allowed to make the case to open safely—let them demonstrate that they can do so. I know in CrossFit Place there is a huge roller shutter from floor to ceiling in order to ensure air circulation. There may be other gyms that can't put safe arrangements in place, but allow them to try. The attitude when it comes to physical exercise should be that it should be allowed if that is possible. And yes, there will be occasions where the case numbers are at their highest, as we are currently experiencing, or in certain areas where that is the case, where perhaps it won't be possible for any gym to be opened, but we are talking about dynamic risk assessments here in order to encourage that kind of physical exercise, and I would urge the Government to think in that way.

The same is true of the other petitions. Can you imagine a safer sport than golf? It's played in the open air, people can maintain great social distance. And we're not talking about opening the clubhouse here—although, at the moment, you can go to the clubhouse to access a takeaway, but you can't actually play golf in the open air.

And I've pursued the issue of team sports to be allowed and viewed over the past few months. I have a great love for football, which is the focus of this petition—rugby too. I've coached a number of youth teams over the years, and encouraging team sports is so important again to physical and mental health, but it's also important in a community sense. It's been very frustrating in Anglesey that the coastal rowing team hasn't been able to get out there to train over the past few months, and my appeal is the same: will the Government think of themselves as facilitators, as enablers, if you like? They need to think that what needs to be done is to encourage and allow physical activity wherever that is possible. I support the all-Wales restrictions that we currently have—things are moving in the right direction, hopefully, yes, but the situation is still very grave indeed—but whilst there are things that can't be considered as being necessary at the moment, encouraging physical fitness and mental health and well-being has to be a priority, so do everything that you can.