WSA host successful Safeguarding and Facilities Communities simultaneously
The Welsh Sports Association (WSA) is delighted to have hosted colleagues from across the sport and leisure sector on Thursday 18 September, as key topics were discussed throughout simultaneous Safeguarding and Facilities Communities.
Gathered at the Sport Wales National Centre, we enjoyed insightful and engaging discussions as the two events took place next door to each other, before a final collaborative session and networking lunch.
Safeguarding Community
In the Safeguarding Community, attendees were firstly addressed by Mary Rogers, Business Development Manager at Platfform, an organisation that works with individuals and other organisations to create a greater sense of connection, ownership and wellbeing.
Mary delved into the opportunities for collaboration amongst like-minded organisations, whether within sport and leisure or outside of the sector, to ensure mental wellbeing is taken into account across the board.
Explaining different types of training sessions and workshops that Platfform provide and deliver, Mary accentuated how important it was to prioritise wellbeing for a cohesive working community and beyond.
Delegates were subsequently greeted by Ray Marley, a former Police Officer who now sits on the Boards of Badminton Wales and Paddle Cymru as a Director of Safeguarding.
Ray led a truly collaborative session which ran through a recent Safe Sport UK report into how to design a comprehensive and integrated approach to safe sport across the UK, before facilitating discussions amongst attendees around the potential steps, collaborations, and solutions that can make sport safe across Wales.
From cross-sport registers, to a collaborative push on Welsh Government as Senedd elections approach, to the importance of rehabilitation back into sports; there was an abundance of though-provoking ideas floating around the table.
Facilities Community
Jo Theaker, Head of Partnerships and Delivery at Good Boost, kicked off discussions for the Facilities Community. Jo shared the latest independent study that has been published in Musculoskeletal Care and highlighted a few strong case studies from operators in Wales utilising the technology.
Jonni Tomos, the recently appointed International Sports Events Manager at Welsh Government, introduced himself and how he leads Event Wales’ work alongside national governing bodies, local authorities and venues on bidding for and attracting international sports events to Wales. Jonni also touched on the new Disability Sport Wales online platform for inclusive event spaces.
Ann Hillman, Community, Sport and Health Manager at GLL, then presented the GLL Escape Pain collaborative programme, which led to them winning the Best Collaborative Initiative at the 2025 WSA Sports Industry Awards!
To wrap things up, the doors between the two rooms were folded and Rhiannon Dale, Partner Employment and HR Services from Hugh James, led a fascinating presentation on the impact of existing policies in relation to access to changing rooms and other shared spaces in light of the Supreme Court’s decision on the definition of sex within the Equality Act 2010.
We hope all attendees got value out of these sessions, and enjoyed their mornings with each Community.
Don’t forget, that those in attendance who are associated with CIMSPA can claim two CPD Points from the event!
The WSA would also like to thank all of our brilliant speakers for their content and contributions, but also for keeping remarkably to schedule to ensure the rooms aligned so seamlessly!
Please stay tuned for news on our next Safeguarding and Facilities Communities, as well as other Communities. If you would like to contribute to our sessions moving forward, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
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