19/02/2016 BBC Wales Today

Fewer people are dying from strokes here.

The call for more investment in long term help for survivors.

By discussing with these people I began to see

that I can overcome this with help from them

but also a large input from myself and my family.

They may be a little young to vote - but the First Minister claims Wales

is on the up as he launches Welsh Labour's re-election bid.

Exercise helps Katie West battle depression.

The call from a leading charity to transform how sport is used

75 years since German bombs devastated parts of Swansea -

at snooker's Welsh Open quarterfinals.

As Neath's Michael White aims to become the first Welshman

There's been a call for more investment in long term help

for stroke survivors, after new figures show fewer of us

Here in Wales around 7000 of us suffer a stroke every year.

Over a decade ago more than 3,000 people died as a result

By 2014 that number had fallen to just over two thousand

A report for the Welsh Government says that's due to improved

Roger Pinney has this special report.

Eddie Lloyd Davis is a stroke survivor, his hit last October.

So it's about four and a half months.

Eddie got prompt treatment and he says

first-class recovery support which continued

I began to see that I overcome this with help from them but also a large

These people visited me almost on a daily basis.

We had special access to the stroke unit.

Stroke care unit in the in the Betsy Cadwallader region now

Just two and a half years ago it was the worst.

Changes include basing specialists stroke nurses in

There's also been the kind of investment in ongoing support

Television advertising campaigns like this one

have done much to raise awareness of the symptoms of stroke and time

The faster you act, the more of the person you save.

Each year in Wales around 7000 of us will suffer an attack.

You can get a stroke at any age but the older we get,

Risk factors include high blood pressure,

So there are things we can do to help ourselves avoid an attack.

Survival rates have never been better and, overall,

As, if not better, than the health service in England. In the Betsy

Cadwallader board area over 90% of patients are delivered to a stroke

unit within 90 minutes of arriving in hospital. In other areas it is

less than 60%. If they get treated as soon as possible, they have an

excellent outcome compared to people who are not being looked after in a

stroke unit. There are drugs that can only be offered in the first

four and a half hours, so timing is crucial. Staff will ensure that a

patient gets prompt assessment and if a stroke patients can access the

unit within four hours we know that they will get access to all of the

treatment they need to get quickly going after stroke. The Welsh

government says it is continuing to invest in stroke units across Wales.

But improvements in care are always possible.

Wales is "on the up" - that's according to the First

Minister as he launches Welsh Labour's re-election bid

at the Party's conference in Llandudno.

With less than three months until the Assembly Elections,

Carwyn Jones has been defending his government's

perfomance halfway through what he calls their "decade

From Llandudno, here's our Political Editor,

Labour has built many Welsh governments in the past. There is

plenty of history but he wants a future with a younger generation.

Carwyn Jones here in real promoting the expansion of free nursery

places. I believe we have achieved what we said we would do in 2011. Of

course, it is now time to be more ambitious. You never sit back and

say look at what we've done. It is not good enough. We say, we've

completed that part of what we wanted to do, time to move on and be

more ambitious for the people of Wales. This is one constituency

Labour lost in the general election in one of the biggest shocks last

year. Labour faced a perfect storm here with problems in the local

health board and the rise of Ukip. It led them to ask whether Labour

has a problem in the North. It caused opponents to say they are not

only vulnerable here but also further east. Cathy is a former

adviser to Welsh Labour. She outlined the challenges Labour faces

as it tries to defend its record on the delivery of public services.

They have to defend their record. Kara

-- Kara Winger Ellis is confident that he will be able to use

the stage is being set for a conference that takes place after an

extraordinary year for labour that so many Jamaat developments. It does

not want to add losing power in Wales to the list. -- many dramatic

develop. Well Nick is in Llandudno for us

tonight, Nick how major are the challenges

the partys facing? This will all be about the delivery

of public services. The Achilles heel of this administration is the

state of the NHS. That is where discussions will be intense. The

party believes that a recent report from the OECD think tank that said

that health care quality compared with other areas, it has given them

moment on health. We are not expecting any rabbits out of the hat

on this. The message will be steady as she goes with the system we have

in place. When Carwyn Jones says that there is more work to do we can

read into that that the NHS is part of it. It's an appeal to give Labour

more time. And Jeremy Corbyn arrives tomorrow -

how will that go down? Outwardly, he'll be welcomed. Behind

he'll be considered a distraction. Carwyn Jones says that the choice is

a straight choice between Carwyn Jones and the leader of the Welsh

Conservatives. It is likely to be the most presidential assembly

campaign that we have seen. Thank you.

An investigation is underway into the cause of a large fire

at a commercial laundry in Llandudno Junction.

The blaze at Express Linen Services began yesterday evening and fire

crews were still damping down at the scene earlier today.

At its height 40 firefighters tackled the blaze.

A number of properties were evacuated as a precaution.

About 20 past eight I was walking at the back where the playing fields

are and I just saw smoke and it sounded like fireworks

Snuck under the tape, so it was laundry on fire,

snuck round the back to get my dogs, the whole thing was ablaze.

Friends and relatives are being asked not to visit

patients at Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth.

Two of the hospital's wards have been temporarily closed due

A leading charity is calling for a transformation in the way

we use sport to help deal with mental health problems.

As part of the BBC's In the Mind series,

Tomos Dafydd is here to examine how the right kind

of exercise can improve mental wellbeing.

Mental health is fast becoming one of the great issues

of our time - one in four people has a mental health problem.

It often leads to poor physical health too.

People living with a serious mental health condition die 12-13 years

earlier than the rest of the population.

The welsh government spends more than 6.8 billion pounds on health -

nearly 800 million pounds on mental health services,

that's more than any other illness or condition.

Now the charity Mind Cymru says the way GPs recommend physical

activity is patchy and wants a more focused,

I can dead-lift 150 kilos, which is the equivalent of a male

giant panda, and I live with anxiety and depression.

For Katie, everyday tasks can be a challenge.

She used to have panic attacks and was signed off work for a while.

She also had to deal with suicidal thoughts.

You have dark thoughts and you have suicidal thoughts on a daily basis

but you don't necessarily act on them.

It's when there have been a couple of times

where it's built up to the point where I've become really concerned

that I was actually going to act on those thoughts.

Katy trains regularly here in Prestatyn.

She started exercising after a recommendation from her GP.

She told me it helps ease her problems.

I can come in here, feeling so, so low and

I will always leave feeling like my mood is completely lifted.

I wouldn't like to think where I'd be

But for many with mental health problems, making the first

step towards getting physically active can be difficult.

Feeling embarrassed and ashamed is often a barrier.

It's well-established that people with mental health problems

are more likely to experience problems with their physical health.

They are at a higher risk of being obese or overweight,

twice as likely to die from heart disease and four

times more likely to die from respiratory disease.

Those are some of the reasons why Mind Cymru

is calling for a transformation on the way people are

We know that in some parts of Wales people are referred for physical

activity when they go to their GP with a mental

In other parts of the country, they just don't.

I think it's a tragedy that people with mental health problems

are so much more susceptible to physical

This is the kind of scheme the charity has

Being part of the group makes it easy to get involved.

There are lots of things that go on in my head

You're worrying about what people are thinking.

I don't mean in a negative way, but just to

come to football, to learn and be around a group of people

and to switch that off because you've got a simple set

of rules, you know what you're all here for and you can,

Similar sessions are held at Merthyr football club and a scheme will be

rolled out to Newport and Wrexham football clubs later this year.

It's hard the backing of some high-profile players.

"We wear the same shirt" is a campaign created in partnership

with charities and the Welsh football trust.

Katie, for one is in no doubt that keeping active

helps her state of mind but, for so many, getting access

to the right kind of activity as well as being

supported long-term remains a real challenge.

That's why charities want to make mental health a priority

for politicians, so expect to hear more

about the problems facing people with mental health issues

between now and the Assembly Elections in May.

More than 200 people died as German bombs reigned down on Swansea.

75 years on, we hear from one survivor.

The noise of the bombs dropping was frightening because they made

If they were louder, obviously, they were nearer.

It looks like there's another long night ahead for European Leaders

who are in Brussels, discussing whether to allow Britain

to change the terms of its relationship

If David Cameron gets the deal he wants, a vote on whether to leave

or remain in the UK will go ahead in June.

In a moment we'll hear from our Welsh Affairs Editor

Vaughan Roderick - but first - with an assessment of how EU

membership affects us here in Wales - here's Arwyn Jones.

The EU is often called the biggest trading bloc in the world. One big

marketplace. Where better to discuss it done in our biggest indoor

market. The people who sell stuff here have a view on pretty much

anything. The vast majority of meat from Wales is exported to the EE

you. The red meat market alone is worth around ?175 million per year.

If the UK left the EU, that market wouldn't be there any more. This

butchers is run by a married couple with different views when it comes

to the European Union. I think we need it but he has to make the

changes and if he doesn't stand is ground, where done for. The way I

look at it, they want our stuff, we want their stuff. Go back the way we

were before. Farmers get their share of around ?200 million of European

funding per year. The average dairy farmer gets around ?22,000. The

average sheep farmer around 19,000. One gripe is around immigration

because any EU citizen can come to live in Wales. Wales is the part of

the UK with the lowest proportion of people born abroad. People do come

here to live with the largest numbers from Poland and Ireland.

Wales also benefits from grant aid for poorer countries. It is around

two billion and has helped raise thousands of jobs. Critics say that

the money could come from the UK Government. Supporters of the EU say

that there is no guarantee that a UK Government would keep giving so much

money to Wales. If they leave, it will tell every other major player,

Germany and stuff like that, to cause them to leave. If they all

leave it might bring instability on the whole economic front. The EU

regulates fishing off the Welsh coast. It is designed to protect

stocks that fishermen say it could damage the industry. They have been

able to fish our water is virtually dry. We should be able to do that

ourselves. Opponents say that if we left the EU, there would be more

freedom to trade with markets like China and India without having to go

through Brussels. It is clear that the debate is heating up but until

there is agreement in Wales and a date for the vote, the campaign is

still on ice. There's no denying that leaving

the EU would have a huge impact This is a really big deal. One or

two referenda in the past have been once we have wondered why we are

having them. Remember the one on the alternative vote. This is of huge

legitimate significance. No one is saying this decision is not

important. A lot of people are asking the same questions as in

other parts of the UK. Let's not pretend that Wales is a separate

argument. The issues around migration and trade, they are UK

wide issues but there are issues that are specific to Wales around

agriculture and also whether the UK Government would give regional aid

to Wales in the way that the EU does. There is a slight difference.

The UK is a net contributor to the EU that Wales is a net beneficiary.

Would the UK Government make up the difference? We have been here

before. 1975. I remember it, sadly. It was a very different world. A

mirror image of why we are now. Back then, the Conservative Party was

more or less united in favour of staying in. It was labour that was

divided. The key issue was fear of what would happen if we left. It may

well be a major factor in this referendum again. Who knows? It is a

very different world to the one we had. We were in the days of the

three-day week and hot summers and power shortages and all that stuff.

It is the 21st-century and this is a 21st century decision.

We can return to Swansea now and today marks 75 years

since the German Luftwaffe devastated parts of the city.

More than 200 people died and hundreds more were injured

as bombs descended on the city in 1941.

It was one of the UK's worst affected towns and it took many

Our Swansea reporter Ben Price has the story.

Just after 7:30pm on February 19, 1941, Swansea was disturbed by the

rumbling of the German love bluffer overhead. The city was repeatedly

bombed. Fred Jones was 12. He lived on Townhill overlooking the city. He

took cover in the air raid shelter. The noise of the bombs dropping was

frightening. They made a screeching sound. If they were louder,

obviously, they were nearer. You would flinch. Is this going to be

ours? Luckily, it didn't happen. We had one in century outside the

house, the nearest we got to an explosion. Swansea docks was the

main target. The aim, to prevent the export of Welsh coal. Bombs were

dropped across the city. A reminder, bombs discovered as recently as

yesterday. Safely detonated on the beach. These bombs obliterated large

parts of the city centre and many iconic buildings. Here stood the Ben

Evans department store. It was burned to a shell. The remains of

Swansea Castle survived. All around was a scene of utter chaos. 850

buildings were destroyed and 11,000 were badly damaged. Homes and

businesses were lost. Some managed to recover, like this cafe. Saint

Merry 's church was gutted by fire as bombs crashed through its roof.

There were fire engines about, there were people repairing water mains

that had gone. Electricity mains had gone. It was a hive of activity. At

the city's grand Theatre, the story of others who experienced the Blitz.

People were going home from work. The town was as it was. The world

was as it was and by the Saturday morning everything had been blown to

smithereens. No shops, no food, it must have been terrifying. Swansea

has seen big changes but the events of those three nights in 1941 will

never be forgotten. Onto sport and the Welsh Open

Snooker Championships reaches its climax this weekend -

But will a Welshman lift the title? Let's Join Iwan Griffiths

who's at the MotorPoint Arena We're at the quarter-final stage

Lucy and one Welshman remains Michael White - the 24-year-old

from Neath will walk into this arena in just a few minutes -

he faces Northern Ireland's Hoping to become the first player

from Wales to win the competition since Mark Williams lifted

the trophy back in 1999. Michael White has been assessing

tonight's opponent Mark Allen. He was on fire last

night against Ryan Day. He was when I came through

the juniors and when one everything, I'll just go out there

and try and enjoy it. I'm joined by Dominic Dale who has

been competing during the week. A proud Welshman. He has to be on top

of his game this week. He does. They have played three times. Michael has

beaten him. He has some pedigree in the sport, winning the shoot out and

the Indian open. Winning a ranking event is important for tonight. He

will have a fantastic audience tonight giving his full support and

that will be a factor. This afternoon the crowd saw a 147. The

headlines earlier were of Ronnie O'Sullivan choosing the pink over

black to go for a 146. If you put the top players under pressure they

can be beaten. Every match is a different day. Ronnie can be beaten

and everybody in the tournament knows that. We are waiting for the

players. Can Michael White do it? Definitely. With all the support I

am going to go for Michael White 5-3. I am going to be sitting there

with them supporting as well. Footbal, the Cardiff City

manager - Russell Slade - says he wants the owner

of the club - Vincent Tan - Tan watched Cardiff's goalless draw

at Charlton last week. The Bluebirds take on Brighton

tomorrow. Newport County - six points

above the relegation places While Wrexham -

unbeaten in 4 games - Onto Rugby and both Dan Lydiate

and Hallam Amos will be looking to impress Wales Coach Warren

Gatland this evening - before Monday's team announcement

for the next Six Nations match - Amos plays for the Dragons

in Treviso, while Lydiate will start in the Ospreys

home game against Edinburgh. The match is live on BBC Two Wales

and BBC Radio Wales. So the crowd are settling

in the Motor Point Arena. Michael White is due,

he's facing Mark Allen at 7. Iwan - thank you -

we can get a weather forecast now - How is it looking for the weekend?

Milder conditions but it is wet and windy. Quite a lot of wet weather

around tonight. There will be breaks in the cloud but it should be frost

free. Temperature is no lower than four Celsius. Tomorrow, we have a

weather front that is going to linger into Sunday. We will see a

lot of rain. Notice a squeeze on the isobars. Strong winds as well. On

Saturday, rain spreading in from the West. The potential for some

localised flooding. Temperatures back up into double figures. Patchy

rain for Saturday night. We hang on to low-level cloud and mist and fog.

Another Veremalua night. Temperatures not changing very much.

Ranging between five and 10 Celsius. Best another very mild night. Much

of the rain across mid and North Wales, more patchy further south.

Temperatures creeping up to 12 Celsius. The average for this time

of year is around seven. The start of next week will see the return of

colder air. There is the potential for a fuchsia hours. Have a lovely

weekend. Back to Lucy. From all of ours on the programme, thanks for

watching and have