Champions League Final Welsh Assembly


Champions League Final

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Presiding Officer, in one month, Cardiff and Wales will host the Uefa

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Champions League final, one of the biggest and most prestigious

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sporting events in the world and the biggest single sporting event in

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2017. The men's final on the 3rd of June will attract a global live TV

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audience of 200 million and an estimated additional 170,000

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visitors to our capital city. Members will have seen the exciting

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arrival of the trophies in Wales two weeks ago and they are currently

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touring the nation, providing a unique opportunity for our

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communities to engage with the event. Yesterday, the trophies

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visited football clubs and today they have been at its good festival.

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I know the excitement that would have generated amongst local

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football fans and the North Wales public more widely. This is another

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historic first, kicking off a summer of sporting legends with Champions

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League final closely followed by the ICC champions Trophy cricket at

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Glamorgan. Cricket and the return of course of the senior open golf

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championship. This demonstrates our ambition and commitment to build a

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major event posting credentials. The benefits from Wales will be

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significant. The event will generate a significant economic impact as a

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result of the additional visitors coming to Wales. This will include

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spend on hotels, restaurants, pubs, bars and on travel within the

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region. The hospitality provision in the city on match day, which

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includes an estimated 16,000 means, provides a valuable showcase for

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wells produce. Overall, access to rights and benefits associated with

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the event provides Wales with an unprecedented incentive with which

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to engage with key inward investment and business targets. The extensive

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media coverage in the lead up to and over the event itself will raise our

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international profile and reputation. The road to Cardiff

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strapline and branding has been visible around the world for many

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months now, clearly evident at every Champions League game and front and

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centre of each match broadcast. In addition to the millions of TV

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viewers and, of course, the lucky fans able to attend the matches

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themselves, an estimated 200,000 people will attend the Uefa

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Champions League festival in Cardiff Bay. A free four-day celebration

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from Thursday through Sunday. The festival will provide high-quality

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Uefa experience to non-ticket holders who get a chance to see the

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trophy, engage with the sponsors, acquired limited edition Uefa

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merchandise and see some of the former footballing greats play a

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legends match on a floating pitch in Cardiff Bay on Friday the 2nd of

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June. As with the trophy tour, we want to spread the positive impact

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of the event and the event is said to inspire a generation with a set

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of specially designed cross curricular materials being

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introduced to around a thousand Welsh schools in the run-up to the

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event, enhancing the curriculum and engaging with a potential 136,000

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young people. Adding to Wales's credentials as a nation willing to

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volunteer, 1500 champions will be part of the volunteer programme that

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will provide participants with valuable skills they can take into

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their places of education or work. The event also provides an important

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platform for encouraging wider participation. The emphasis given to

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the women's final on the 1st of June at Cardiff city stadium alongside

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the men and the staging of the final in the same city will raise the

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profile of women and girls's football encouraging fitness and

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participation and raising the status of the sport in the ayes of players,

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educators and potential sponsors. Around two and a half thousand women

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and girls from across Wales will sit for in a specially organised female

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football Festival which will take place on the same day as the Uefa

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women's's Champions League final. The those fans wishing to immerse

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themselves in the Champions League experience, tickets for the women's

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final are still available and it would be great to see a packed

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stadium, giving the players a warm Welsh welcome. But hosting a mega

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event like the Champions League final presents significant

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challenges. Cardiff is the smallest city to have hosted the final and

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extensive planning has been underway for many months in order to ensure a

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safe, secure and enjoyable event. The football Association of Wales is

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leading a concerted team Wales effort, marshalling the considerable

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support of key partners, including South Wales Police, Cardiff Council,

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the principality stadium which has been renamed the National Stadium of

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Wales for this event and, of course, the Welsh Government. The event will

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be staged against a backdrop of an extremely challenging international

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security landscape which, tragically, has become more acute in

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recent weeks. Against this background, the safety and security

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of everyone attending the events is of paramount importance. South Wales

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Police, with assistance from neighbouring forces in England and

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Wales, are leading the largest security operation since the Nato

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summit. This will inevitably impact upon traffic and pedestrian flow

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around the city, but the priority is of course the safety of residents

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and visitors alike. Transport and travel to and around the event also

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presents a logistical challenge. Transport planning has been made

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more difficult by not knowing who the finalists will be until three

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weeks before the event, although we have a much clearer idea following

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the recent semifinal draw. A carefully planned series of measures

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are being put in place around the city centre road network in the

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fortnight leading up to the event and this will cause a certain amount

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of disruption. The message is clear. Cardiff will be busier than it ever

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has been on Saturday, June the 3rd. Unnecessary travel by those who are

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not attending the match should be avoided. Especially commissioned

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public information campaign is being rolled out to advise residents,

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businesses and visitors of possible travel and transport disruption, to

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provide advice on minimising inconvenience and this is being

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supported by face-to-face engagement with key target stakeholders. The

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smallest city ever to host the way the Champions League final is set to

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put on the issue of its life during our year of legends. Wales is being

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profiled worldwide to international audiences who might never have

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considered as previously as a location to visit or do business. We

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are set to build on a fantastic performance at last year's European

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Championships, to become embedded in worldwide footballing culture and to

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be recognised as a highly attractive destination on the world map. Can

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the secretary... I thank you for your statement this afternoon. Wales

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has a proud history of hosting major sporting events that far exceed the

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norm, that would be expected for a country of our size. I fully agree

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with the Cabinet Secretary that it is a great honour for Cardiff to be

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hosting this prestigious global event. It has the potential to

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showcase the best of Wales to the world and have a significant benefit

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to the Welsh economy and also provide a boost to the tourism

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industry. Such major sporting events not only spark our national pride,

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boost tourism levels but they also raise the issue of supporting the

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broader public health agenda as well. With that in mind, can you

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outline what steps the government has taken since the Euro 2016

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success to boost the virtues of an active lifestyle and other benefits

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of sporting activity? Doing so, of course, in the face of reduced

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funding in that area as well. Economic league, the hosting events,

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such as the Champions League final, also criticised last opportunity to

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advertise Wales as a tourist destination, not only to other

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Europeans but also across the world. I was pleased that the Welsh

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Government has taken steps to showcase our nation at the Uefa

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champions Festival and has invested in cross curriculum materials for

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Welsh schools. He also referred to the potential for security threats

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at the championships. Can I also endorse your advice to spectators to

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remain vigilant and take note of advice from police and security

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staff. Finally, I would like to ask what lessons have been learned from

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posting previous major events, especially from a transport

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perspective. During the Rugby World Cup the experience of Cardiff was

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tempered by problems with public transport, with lengthy delays of up

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to four hours in some cases and incidence of overcrowding which I

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would expect might well have a knock-on effect of putting people

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off visiting in the future. Now, given the fact that the foot fault

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at Cardiff Central Station has increased dramatically in recent

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years, are you confident that the station is able to cope with the

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overflow? I am sure you will agree that we must be careful to avoid a

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repeat of the incidence, so can I ask what steps were taken alongside

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talking to transport providers, Cardiff City Council and tourism

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organisers, to minimise the disruption for travellers, residents

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and fans alike? I think Russell George for his questions, comments

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and for his enthusiasm for this and other major events we have hosted in

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recent years. We have a proud record of Fulston quality major events.

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Events of global significance, including the Ryder Cup which put

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Wales on the global map in terms of the country as a golf destination as

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well as a raft of major sporting and cultural events and working to make

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sure we take a strategic approach to hosting major events, to capture

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repeat visitors and also to attract new investment for the country and

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to portray Wales as a place where quality of life is of paramount

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importance. The benefits of the Champions League final will be

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considerable, but they will not be confined to just economic benefits,

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although the economic impact is assessed to be something in the

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region of ?45 million in the immediate period and in the

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immediate aftermath of the Champions League final. We expect, as a result

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of hundreds of thousands of people visiting Cardiff, we expect to see

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future visitor numbers increase accordingly with more overnight

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stays as a result of people experiencing the warmest Welsh

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welcome possible in our capital city. The member raises an important

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point about the importance of the Champions League final and other

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major sporting events to the healthy and active agenda that this

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government has. We think it is essential to use sporting event is

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not just to attract people to Visit Wales, but also to ensure that

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people within Wales become more active in their daily lives and

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inspired not just a future generation, but for generations to

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be more active and sporting. After the euros last year the Welsh

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Government, through sport Wales, with the number of national

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governing bodies, principally the FA W in promoting, especially to

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underrepresented groups, the essential to get involved in

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football. As a consequence of continued investment and efforts, we

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have seen a remarkable increase in the number of girls in particular

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who have taken up football. We have seen a far greater increase

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proportionately in the number of girls registering as football

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players than women and boys. Clearly football is becoming far more

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attractive as a sport, as a form of physical activity for girls. We wish

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to maintain the momentum which has been built up before during and

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after the euros by engaging schools. As a member outlined, through the

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intervention school curriculum work, to ensure that young people become

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more enthused and more aware of the opportunities that are on their

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doorstep. A legacy budget of the Champions

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League final will be the establishment of the community

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football facility in Cardiff, in an appropriate area, which we expect

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will be utilised by those particularly in disadvantaged areas

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who may lack free or affordable access to sporting facilities and in

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the years to come, I would hope that many of those who go on to use this

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legacy pitch will become registered as footballers themselves. We've

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also used the Champions League Festival to promote Wales as a

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holiday destination and also as a destination in which to invest

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anti-business. We've been using the Champions League final -- in which

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to invest and do business. We have been using the Champions League

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final, highlighting our presence at the travel Festival with the

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Champions League final in Cardiff this June. We will be doing so in

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the summer months by tweeting, by making available appropriate content

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for stakeholder websites to showcase the very best of Wales with

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photographs, with text and with short videos. We have and are

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learning lessons constantly from major events that we host. I know

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that one of the concerns that members representing Cardiff

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constituencies have is the use of the field that was used for

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Eisteddfod as a Cardiff campsite for the Champions League itself. We've

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learned a good number of lessons from our experience with the

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Eisteddfod and we continue to ensure that the park is protected for its

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users. The campsite is going to be used from Monday, May 22 and will

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operate from the 31st of May until June the 5th, but I would remind

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members that activity will be taking place there in preparing the park

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from maybe 22nd. We've prepared questions and answers sheet which is

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available on the Bute Park .com website if any residents or Assembly

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members have any queries. We've also learned a good number of lessons

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about managing vehicle and train travel. The train operators are

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working as a joint team for this event, so Network Rail, a Riva

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trains Wales, great Western Railway and cross-country trains are working

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collaboratively with event organisers to ensure that the

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railways are in a position to manage the demand of an event of this

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scale. This is an enormous event. If I can run through some of the

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figures relating to rail travel in particular, I think it will

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highlight how much preparation has gone into this particular event.

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15,000 more passenger journeys on rail, on the rail network post match

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will be delivered compared to the Rugby World Cup in 2015. There will

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be 60,000 post match rail journeys, a total, including 21,000 high-speed

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train services to London. 25,000 air chartered passengers are set to

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arrive at the airports in Cardiff, Birmingham and Bristol, supported by

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over 450 transfer coaches and two large staging facilities in Cardiff.

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We are also arranging new, bespoke park and ride systems which will

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cater for 7500 spaces into locations. In addition, there will

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be 5000 park and walk facilities in the Cardiff Bay area, supporting

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access directly to the Champions League Festival. In addition, 10% of

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the UK's available coach market will be utilised for the Champions League

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final. This is an incredible number of coaches. We estimate that in the

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region of 1250 and we are working in collaboration with operators such as

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National Express to ensure that across Wales and across the UK,

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visitors to Cardiff during the Champions League experience, will

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have the highest quality experience and they will be able to get in and

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out of Cardiff as seamlessly as possible and in the shortest time

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possible. But I would once again urge members to relay to their

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constituents that this is an unprecedented event. We should be

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very proud of this event but we should also prepare well for it. I

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must say I am personally very excited that the Champions League

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final is coming to Cardiff. I was kicking an official Cardiff 2017

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replica football around the garden with an excited 13-year-old last

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night and as happy as I was to contribute ?14 99 to the

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merchandising companies for that particular football, we want to make

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sure that Wales is the real beneficiary here. We are talking

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about one of the biggest sporting events in the world and I'll never

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forget watching the last minute Man United win over Bayern Munich in

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1999 or Liverpool's numerical in 2005 in beating a C Milan. But it's

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not just those stories that could be repeated here in Wales in a few

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weeks' time, those footballing stories. I remember where those

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games were, Man United winning in Barcelona, Liverpool winning in

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Istanbul, so Cardiff could become part of international sporting

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folklore. I was talking to some is children in Italy a few weeks ago,

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asking where I was from, from Wales, where is that? That's where the

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Champions League final is being held in a few weeks' time, showing the

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power of the language of football globally. They were also very aware

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of Wales as the home of Gareth Bale, of course, and may I say how

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wonderful it would be to see a fit Gareth Bale playing at the Champions

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League final in his home city, but in the interests of keeping balance,

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I'd like to say that of course fans from whichever side of Madrid would

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be more than welcome in Cardiff here for the final. I believe the first

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leg is being played tonight of that semifinal, with the decider known to

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us by a week Wednesday. Now, I would like to wish all those involved in

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putting on this Champions League final all the very best in the final

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few weeks. In particular, I'd like to mention the football Association

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of Wales running the show. This is a football Association that has proved

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during the year raise and in the run-up to the year raise last year

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how very able they are to capitalise an international sporting exposure.

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Just three questions. You mentioned the facility, the community facility

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that will be left as a legacy in Cardiff, the 3G pitch there. The

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local council has guaranteed the pitch will be free to use for two

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years. Beyond that, charges haven't been ruled out, but frankly, of

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course, if we are going to see a real legacy promise, we need free to

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use sports facilities for a lot longer than two years, so what will

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you be doing to ensure there is a longer legacy than just the two

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years use of a modest but very important facility to that

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community, particularly in light of the recently increased charges that

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we have seen for sports facilities right across Wales? Secondly, first

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impressions will be very, very important. We will see a lot of

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visitors to Cardiff. What extra support has been offered to Cardiff

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Council to ensure litter is picked and we have a clean, modern city to

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await all those football fans? Finally, the statement notes that

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Cardiff is the smallest city to have hosted this event. In reality

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though, if we take in the wider hinterland and the south Wales

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valleys and the major population there, it probably isn't the

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smallest area, but clearly to hold events such as this in Cardiff

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requires infrastructure to be wider than just the city itself. It needs

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to include the valleys, strengthening infrastructure across

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a wider area. What consideration have you given to making this event

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benefit the wider surrounding areas and with that boost to

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infrastructure required, not just for this Champions League, limited

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things that we can do in the next few weeks, but for the longer term

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to support Wales being able to be a player on the global stage for such

:24:40.:24:46.

events in future? Can I thank the Member for his enthusiasm as well. I

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share his excitement. I was in Portmeirion on Sunday and saw the

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Champions League wager attracting a huge number of young people to the

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mobile unit that they had, again promoting Cardiff and ensuring that

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the event is relevant to all parts of Wales. In terms of previous

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Champions League finals, I would agree, that the places they are

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hosted at the come recognised worldwide, not just in Europe, but

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worldwide and remembered very fondly for the legendary matches that take

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place. Istanbul stands out for me personally. I have two brothers who

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travelled by various means to Istanbul. They will remember it

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fondly for the rest of their lives and so will I, even though I am not

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a Liverpool fan. They are but I'm not. My team is yet to Beecher

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Champions League final and sadly went to be at this year 's one

:25:46.:25:50.

either. But it is something that captures the imagination and

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enthusiasm of people young and old and it's something we can be very

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proud of right across Wales. I also hope Gareth Bale will be fit enough

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and part of a team who make it through the semi-finals and into the

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final and that we will be able to welcome him to his home city. In

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terms of the promotion of this event, this is something which

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rational George picked up on, but I would like to pick up on that in

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terms of social media activity, this will offer an unparalleled event

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opportunity to promote Wales as an attractive place to visit and to

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live and invest in. We have already seen in terms of the visit Wales

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website a considerable increase in the number of unique users from 2

:26:36.:26:39.

million five years ago to 5 million. We have set ambitious targets to

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drive up that figure further and its events such as the Champions League

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final which are able to attract more people to our websites, generate

:26:51.:26:53.

more interest in our Twitter feed and Facebook pages and I expect as a

:26:54.:26:58.

result of that, with the high-quality content which we are

:26:59.:27:02.

making available to stakeholders, I expect a greater degree of interest

:27:03.:27:07.

in Wales as a holiday destination and an investment location. We will

:27:08.:27:13.

continue to host familiarity trips for key influencers within the media

:27:14.:27:18.

and I would agree with the member that the football Association of

:27:19.:27:25.

Wales has done outstanding work in leading a team Wales effort this

:27:26.:27:29.

year and in recent years, indeed in the lead up to the Euros. The legacy

:27:30.:27:39.

pitch, I think, is something that Cardiff should be very excited by

:27:40.:27:44.

and proud of. It's a decision for the local councils as to how they

:27:45.:27:50.

maintain and pay for the costs of maintenance of key community

:27:51.:27:52.

facilities, but the worst Government is insisting with this regard by

:27:53.:28:00.

helping to establish a fund specifically for those community

:28:01.:28:04.

groups and organisations that could benefit from community sport and

:28:05.:28:09.

arts activities. I think this particular facility could be a prime

:28:10.:28:12.

recipient of the Challenge Fund investment. I would agree also that

:28:13.:28:18.

first impressions count and Cardiff Council are on the steering group.

:28:19.:28:23.

It is recognised that the city must not just look clean and tidy but

:28:24.:28:28.

vibrant as well with plenty of banners, bright colours, tasteful

:28:29.:28:32.

colours as well. Something to convey Cardiff in the way it wants to be

:28:33.:28:36.

seen around the world, as a place rich in culture that is welcoming of

:28:37.:28:40.

all people. But it is not just Cardiff Council responsible for

:28:41.:28:47.

ensuring that Cardiff and the region around it are clean and tidy. We

:28:48.:28:50.

take responsibility for the trunk roads, so we are ensuring that the

:28:51.:28:54.

trunk road network is kept clean and tidy but also I know that Network

:28:55.:29:00.

Rail have additional teams of their orange army is available to make

:29:01.:29:03.

sure that litter is picked up from track sides, from here through to

:29:04.:29:08.

Bristol, Birmingham and London, ensuring that those first

:29:09.:29:10.

impressions really are the best that we could hope for. In terms of

:29:11.:29:16.

benefiting the wider community, in particular the valleys communities,

:29:17.:29:23.

I think platform eight at Cardiff Central is crucially important are

:29:24.:29:27.

ensuring we can get people into the capital more quickly and on services

:29:28.:29:30.

which are more reliable. The ?300 million Cardiff area signalling

:29:31.:29:36.

project I think is also improving resilience and ensuring people can

:29:37.:29:40.

travel to the Champions League final with a greater degree of confidence

:29:41.:29:44.

than they have potentially had in previous years. I do think we need

:29:45.:29:49.

to use this event as we have used other major events. There are huge

:29:50.:29:53.

opportunities to excite and inspire people to become more physically

:29:54.:29:54.

active. We hope we will seek more people

:29:55.:30:09.

become more physically active more of the time. Can I say, as a huge

:30:10.:30:22.

football fan, I am hugely excited at the prospect of the Champions League

:30:23.:30:26.

coming to Cardiff and I applaud the work of the Welsh Government in

:30:27.:30:30.

helping to secure this. On Saturday I will be going back to my

:30:31.:30:38.

constituency where the Champions League cup will be on display. I

:30:39.:30:41.

think that a secret initiative, that it is going to small clubs and fans

:30:42.:30:47.

will have the opportunity to get there and have their photograph

:30:48.:30:52.

taken. I am hoping I will because it is the closest a Bristol city fans

:30:53.:31:00.

will get to the European cup. The European cup is coming on the 30th

:31:01.:31:06.

anniversary of the year in which they beat the mighty Atlanta in the

:31:07.:31:14.

European Cup Winners' Cup in 19 87. I think it is very fitting that we

:31:15.:31:19.

have an european trophy coming here this year. Along with everything

:31:20.:31:23.

else you have said about the financial benefits of the final

:31:24.:31:26.

coming to Cardiff, I am sure you will applaud the initiatives that we

:31:27.:31:32.

see clubs like Merthyr engaging in community activities and community

:31:33.:31:38.

based football. This provides a greater opportunity for the

:31:39.:31:43.

development of that kind of community football. I wanted to

:31:44.:31:48.

follow on from the question earlier and something you have touched on,

:31:49.:31:53.

but whether you could expand more on how the Welsh Government can assist

:31:54.:31:59.

clubs to develop their community activities, especially for girls,

:32:00.:32:04.

which at the club has struggled to engage in any great extent. I thank

:32:05.:32:12.

The Member For her contribution and I am mightily impressed by the way

:32:13.:32:18.

her local team have rooted themselves so deeply in the

:32:19.:32:22.

community. It's a place which unites people, gives people a sense of

:32:23.:32:25.

belonging and it is always a pleasure to visit that particular

:32:26.:32:31.

club. I know they are also very innovative and host walking football

:32:32.:32:39.

for senior citizens and I think this is a great example of how football

:32:40.:32:43.

can be relevant to all people of all physical abilities. I also think

:32:44.:32:47.

that football clubs have a crucial role in terms of being able to give

:32:48.:32:54.

people a sense of competence and confidence through the establishment

:32:55.:32:57.

of volunteering programmes, US Ambassador programmes and

:32:58.:33:01.

employability programmes. I know there are good examples of this is

:33:02.:33:05.

not just across Wales, but also further afield. In Scotland are

:33:06.:33:14.

visited a number of clubs in Glasgow which have become hubs for community

:33:15.:33:16.

physical activity and employability programmes. Often community sport

:33:17.:33:23.

organisations can Act as a magnet for those who are at risk of

:33:24.:33:28.

disengaging from formal education or training and ensure that they are

:33:29.:33:34.

provided with opportunities to acquire skills and experience that

:33:35.:33:38.

then sets them up properly and fully for the world of work. I am in no

:33:39.:33:43.

doubt of the great value of football clubs across the length and breadth

:33:44.:33:49.

of Wales in improving the lives and well-being and employment prospects

:33:50.:33:53.

of people and their levels of physical activity. I also think the

:33:54.:33:59.

member outlined a very relevant to relating to the 30th anniversary and

:34:00.:34:05.

that would be perhaps something that should be relayed during this year

:34:06.:34:09.

of legends because it is particularly important that the

:34:10.:34:13.

story is told about the member goes on retelling it in other venues. In

:34:14.:34:21.

terms of engagement, I know the Minister for social services and

:34:22.:34:24.

sport is very keen in ensuring that more young women and girls

:34:25.:34:31.

participate in physical activity and sport. We have seen an increase in

:34:32.:34:36.

the number of people who participate in sport across Wales, but there is

:34:37.:34:38.

still a challenge with maintaining activity levels once a girl reaches

:34:39.:34:46.

about the age of 13 or 14. We see a sudden drop off then. What sport

:34:47.:34:50.

Wales has developed is a series of programmes aimed at ensuring that

:34:51.:34:55.

girls find forms of physical activity more appealing and that

:34:56.:35:02.

they are able to access different forms of sport and physical activity

:35:03.:35:06.

at that crucial agency they don't slip off the physical activity

:35:07.:35:11.

escalator. I know with the review taking place currently, this is a

:35:12.:35:19.

key question being asked. What form of sport and physical activity is

:35:20.:35:22.

most attractive to those groups within our population who currently

:35:23.:35:28.

are not participating in physical activity enough and I think this

:35:29.:35:32.

will be an incredibly important policy are for the Welsh Government

:35:33.:35:36.

and all stakeholders in the months and years to come. We of the

:35:37.:35:40.

initiatives such as the Wales well-being bond, an extension of

:35:41.:35:47.

social prescribing, has great potential to improve the levels of

:35:48.:35:52.

fitness in our population. To maximise the potential we have by

:35:53.:35:56.

and from community sports organisations so they can Act as our

:35:57.:36:05.

primary partners. I thank the Cabinet Secretary for his statement

:36:06.:36:10.

and we in Ukip would like to congratulate all those involved in

:36:11.:36:15.

bringing this hugely prestigious event to Wales. The bridge to the

:36:16.:36:19.

economy from the hundreds of thousands set to visit Cardiff will

:36:20.:36:23.

be substantial and would like to echo the Cabinet Secretary's

:36:24.:36:26.

statement regarding the staging of one of the biggest events in the

:36:27.:36:31.

sporting calendar and is for rich and effect in projecting the image

:36:32.:36:36.

of Wales as a distinct national identity worldwide. The effect of

:36:37.:36:41.

which cannot be overestimated. We can be sure that it will enhance

:36:42.:36:47.

Wales's profile in a truly global context with the possible dramatic

:36:48.:36:50.

effect on our tourist industry over the ensuing years. It will also help

:36:51.:36:58.

facilitate Welsh governance and the whole Assembly's ambitions to sell

:36:59.:37:02.

the Wales brand across the globe and economic opportunities it will

:37:03.:37:08.

produce. Can I take this opportunity to commend the Welsh Government on

:37:09.:37:12.

its extensive preparation for this huge event and we hope the

:37:13.:37:19.

contingencies you have put in place will ensure that it will go off in

:37:20.:37:27.

the best possible way? Thank you. Can I thank The Member For his

:37:28.:37:33.

contribution and welcome his support for the Champions League final. It

:37:34.:37:37.

is an event that I believe has support right across this chamber

:37:38.:37:42.

and one enemy members are keen to watch and might even participate in

:37:43.:37:46.

because they will be thousands of opportunities to volunteer and if

:37:47.:37:49.

you are not volunteering, just being in the city, if you represent a

:37:50.:37:52.

Cardiff constituency, to welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors

:37:53.:37:57.

would be something I know the Welsh Government and our partners would

:37:58.:38:01.

very much appreciate. The economic benefits of this event are enormous.

:38:02.:38:05.

I have already outlined the immediate economic impact of ?45

:38:06.:38:10.

million for the local economy, but we also estimate that as of the

:38:11.:38:16.

middle of March, the advertising equivalent value of the event, in

:38:17.:38:23.

the Cardiff amounts to something in the region of ?15 million just

:38:24.:38:28.

within Europe. On a global scale, I cannot imagine how much this event

:38:29.:38:35.

is generated in terms of advertising equivalent exposure. Let's say it is

:38:36.:38:40.

far beyond any other single event which could hope to host in Wales

:38:41.:38:45.

and I am confident that by the time the Champions League final arrives,

:38:46.:38:49.

the advertising equivalent benefit of this event will amount to weigh

:38:50.:38:57.

in excess of ?20 million within Europe. We have also had a huge

:38:58.:39:02.

reach in terms of the road to Cardiff hashtag. We believe that as

:39:03.:39:07.

of the start of March, that hashtag had reached more than 25 million

:39:08.:39:12.

users worldwide and this is something that money alone cannot

:39:13.:39:16.

buy. This can only take place, this can only be appreciated and realised

:39:17.:39:21.

in a positive sense through the hosting of major events. The first

:39:22.:39:25.

time I ever visited Cardiff was to see the Pope in 19841981. Even the

:39:26.:39:33.

event, whilst not as big as what this event will be for Cardiff, this

:39:34.:39:37.

is monumentally big and we look forward to hosting those two final

:39:38.:39:41.

teams, but we also look forward to hosting hundreds of thousands of

:39:42.:39:42.

visitors to Cardiff. TRANSLATION: I call

:39:43.:40:43.

the National Assembly, the first item on the agenda,

:40:44.:40:45.

questions to the First Minister, and

:40:46.:40:48.

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