If we beat England in the
#RWC2019
final I’m naming my first born son Alun Wyn Jones Hathway. Which will be an adjustment for him at age 7 having got used to the name Gryff
Seriously, has to be some the best content Welsh sport has ever created. The fact its riffed off the Yma o Hyd momentum to make something more modern is brilliant. Linking traditional, cultural, modern & a growing self-confidence together, plus doing it bilingually 👏🏻
@FAWales
These guys get it! I’m not sure I’ve ever seen people outside Wales hit the right notes about Wales and the language so well. Whoever is advising on their communications take a bow. If it’s them naturally, and I could believe it is, it’s so impressive.
I find this sort of content quite irresponsible really. I don’t want ‘both sides of the story.’ We’re talking science not opinion. I’m not convinced vox pops reactions are the way to cover Covid-19. You can almost guarantee a ‘Caerphilly Covid confusion’ story to follow.
Why are they making them bake in a random environment. It’s bake off not Bear Grylls? I also couldn’t care less if they can make an accompanying dip. That’s not baking? 🤷🏻♂️
#GBBO2018
#GBBOFinal
Malcolm Allen is the most biased, and as a result, brilliant commentator in sport. I love how he has absolutely no interest in being anything other than a fan with a mic. 😂 🏴
The more you think about it the more you appreciate how this
@Cymru
team have uniquely captured a sense of national identity. The language, the unity, the sense of small nation big ambitions. You really don’t need to like football or even sport to feel a sense of collective pride
Joe Marler’s ban is below the expected 12 weeks due to his good character and remorse. His good character involves a ban for using a racial slur. His remorse involved tweeting ‘bollocks. Complete bollock” just a few days back. 🤷🏻♂️
I’d classify the responses to this tweet in four ways.
1. People who love Bercow.
2. People who want to call him terrible names.
3. People who assume this is all on MPs expenses.
4. People just saying variations of the phrase ‘OHHHRRDEEER’
Laura Kuenssberg on BBC saying it is fascinating that SNP heading towards 19+ year in power and 11+ for Conservatives in Westminster.....absolute no interest in recognising the Labour longevity in Wales? It is like the country doesn't exist whilst she's covering the election day?
I took a day off work today. I went to the cinema on my own and watched Batman with a family size bag of Revels. I’m almost 40 years old. Not sure if this is something I should be proud or ashamed of.
Appreciate sports reporters are not political reporters, and it’s hardly the important point in this debate, but BBC describing Nigel Walker as having had a grilling from ‘MPs’ at the ‘Welsh Assembly’ instead of MSs at the Senedd/Welsh Parliament is just so basic
Ran in the dark earlier with no hi-vis let alone worry about being attacked. That I can do that but 50% of the population would never dare to is disgraceful. We’ve got to stop thinking about mitigating the threat to women, and start tackling the problem posed by men
#SarahEverard
That
@BBCNews
are still doing this after so many of these daily briefings can only be a deliberate editorial decision. There’s no way they can’t know it’s wrong?
My grandmother is so efficient on the phone. Called her to say happy 70th wedding anniversary (which is incredible). Went like this.
Me: Hi Mam (no idea why we call her Mam). Just calling to say happy anniversary.”
Her: “Thanks love. God bless. Bye now.”
Phone down.
Now we've reached week 14 of lock-down I'd say the toughest part is between the moment my kids wake up and the moment they go to bed. The rest is fine really.
Proof that Welsh mams are the best. This is how my mother labelled a present to me. Completely sincerely. I am 38 years old. Half expect there to be a jumper inside with my address stitched into the tag
Arsenal fan Piers Morgan thinks Ramsey is the most overrated player in the world. Arsenal have won three trophies in the past 14 years. Ramsey played in the final of all three and scored the winner in two of them.
Replace 'LGBT' with 'BAME' issues or 'disability' issues and you see exactly how sinister and unacceptable the word "morally" is in this question. Question Time gets a lot of grief, both fairly and unfairly, but asking this, especially in this way, is a very poor decision.
When we are more worried about the (pretty mild) language of a female politician in response to constant and vile misogynistic attacks from an anonymous account, I can’t help think we’re looking at the wrong end of the issue.
Didn’t really do a Twitter thing when it happened as it was at the start of the lockdown, but on my 2 year anniversary here today, delighted to note I was recently appointed Assistant Director
@sportwales
(1/3)
Can we not find a more representative picture of public affairs in Wales? Nothing against the individuals here, many of them I know, like and respect, but it’s hardly a diverse look from
@PACymru
is it?
.
@AlunCairns
met
@PACymru
members today to encourage closer working relationships between Welsh public affairs professionals and Whitehall. 🏴
Cyfarfu
@AlunCairns
ag aelodau
@PACymru
i annog perthynas gweitho agosach rhwng gweithwyr materion cyhoeddus yng Nghymru a San Steffan.
Reminded of this article in my TimeHop today. Brought me to tears just as it did when
@ShiptonMartin
first published it. Steff exhibited more dignity and compassion in facing death than many politicians are currently able to muster
This is still available for one more day, hopefully BBC will be able to make it available for longer. Well worth a listen to hear Steff’s passion and humanity shine through. - Beti a'i Phobol - Steffan Lewis - BBC Sounds
Very excited that
@sport_wales
have decided to fulfil my childhood dreams of being employed to think about how amazing sport is. I’m off to be their new Head of Insight and Policy. 2/2
Imagine being a prime minister who decides to measure a nations value not on GDP alone, but on wellbeing, and then getting an unprecedented level of support at the next election. What a mandate for a different approach
#NZElection2020
“A gold medal is a wonderful thing. But if you’re not enough without it, you’ll never be enough with it.” - John Candy dropping knowledge bombs in Cool Runnings about athlete development
Absolutely love my mother just messaged me to say my tie looked great on TV being interviewed by
@BethFisherSport
. I wasn’t wearing one so not sure who she was watching
Messaged a local football club this evening for my 7 year old to join. They said he was welcome to attend a trial week Monday for selection. He’s 7! This is community football not a scholarship with Man City. S-E-V-E-N 🤷🏻♂️
Like when Bale had the flag wrapped around him after winning the Champions League final, Thomas’s win today shows the almost unrivalled power sport has to promote a nation worldwide. This is why it’s an incredible achievement for Geraint, but also for Wales
Said goodbye to the boss
@SPcawl10
last night as we bid her good luck for ventures new. Even undid the top button it was such a special occasion. Will miss her. She is ace!
As a point of comparison to
#Debates2020
, I share a segment from New Zealand's prime ministerial debate from last night.
This one has smiles, laughs, and even compliments!
Want an example of high quality local representation?
@LeanneWood
bumped into my wife and then gave her details of a lovely family walk, from our front door, that ends up at
@iamsubzero
What a result! Physical activity and ice cream. Name me a better duo. Diolch Leanne
Took my kids to their, and actually my own, first ever
@FAWales
international match. Bonus to be able to celebrate the wonderful
@LauraMcAllister
, and others that wore the shirt before this current group of players.
Earlier some guy told my wife to “get your husband to measure the carpet space for you.” Ha. Don’t presume mate. She’s converting an attic whilst I’m crying watching episodes of ‘This is Us’
Some of you may remember the great custard slice birthday cake of 2021. In 2022 I have the 16 scoop, three tier, ice cream cake. A day late with the family this, as I celebrated my 39th with Bale and co.
Utterly heartbreaking. Steff was one of the nicest and most genuine people I’ve ever been fortune enough to work with and call a friend. How he spoke about his illness is a legacy that should make us all have real perspective in our lives.
What a wonderful, wonderful man he was
I don’t get out to see the impact of our community investments enough. What a privilege to have supported
@tonyrefailbgc
’s brilliant Crowdfunder campaign. Proud to have been invited to launch the new stand. What a great group of people. Plus I’ll look much sharper in the office
I feel so sorry for all the NHS staff. Hearing the clapping on Thursday and then seeing utter lack of personal responsibility yesterday. It must be completely infuriating.
Seeing the cross party warm words for Steff, and knowing it’s not just being said because it’s etiquette to do so but because people held him in such high regard, is so nice.
These champs (and some noticeable omissions) published one of the largest per capita children’s sport surveys in the world today. 116,000+ voices captured. Had an ice cream to mark the occasion. Bosh, bash, bosh
A huge amount of work has gone into this. From engagement with partners, to the application & assessment process to communication. Launching something this big & new is/will be challenging, but it is the right thing to do.
I took over heading up
@sportwales
’s community investment work in April 2020. Today I did my first proper visit to a club we’ve supported. Glad to be joined by
@JGriffithsLab
meeting the amazing team at
@WyeAndGalaxy
. So impressed with how they are using sport for social good
“I’m Marcus Rashford, 23 year old, black man from Withington and Wythenshawe, South Manchester. If I have nothing else I have that.” - Bloody hell. What a man. He’s a giant. We’re witnessing a young man transcending sport here.
Last year, much to my wife’s unhappiness, I accidentally registered our son at the wrong school. I’ve just been informed that I’ve been paying his school diner money online to the same incorrect school. Useless.
I’ve been doing the shopping for my 90 year old grandparents these last few weeks. Their lists are crazy. This week includes one tin of peaches, a box of tunnocks tea cakes and two Easter eggs.
I stood in a freezing cold field at -8 degrees, in the pitch black and rain for 4 hours in Reykjavik and didn't see the Northern Lights so yeah, really pleased for you all seeing them out of your window in Aberavon
I’ve written some words on the
#ValueofSport
in today’s
@WalesOnline
I’m deeply in their debt for finding a way that I can share page space with AWJ. Can’t find it online but why not go old school and read it in print. 😉
Hard to see any hope of social distancing guidance being upheld heading into a bank holiday given the last 24 hours news and reaction. Heartbreaking for police, NHS and everyone who has been diligently putting their lives on pause for the past 9 weeks or so.
Today
@sportwales
& partners launch the 2022 School Sport Survey. This is the oldest survey of its type in the world, the largest per capita of its type in the world and we are confident the changes we have made will make it one of the most accessible ever. 🧵
I've had two children born in the past 6 years. Both premature. Both needing emergency care. One spending a week in intensive care. Both are incredibly happy & healthy thanks to the incredible NHS staff
#NHS70
For the problems it may have, we don't know how lucky we are in Wales
Great to (virtually) be welcoming
@emma_henwood
to the
@sportwales
family today as our new Public Affairs and Policy Manager. Excited for her to play a big role in how we, with the many brilliant people in our sector, showcase the contribution sport can make across public policy
Just shy of 500 standing for election to the Senedd. There are 60 seats. So for a lot today they are either losing seats they had a chance/expectation to win (heartbreaking) or never had a hope (a thankless task). Rough day for the majority. This is personal as well as political
Turned 40 today. Had a proper
#SportWalesDoingSport
day of it with 🏋🏻♂️🚴🏻🏃🏻♂️ and 🏊🏻♂️ A sport for each decade. Lovely messages and gifts, including
@jessnzwls
reminding me where the magic happens
@sportwalesNC
- also just heard Zlatan is back for Sweden at 41, so hope for me yet
Took my mother for a surprise afternoon tea with a load of her friends today to celebrate turning 70. She sat down and immediately said: “Right, one by one around the table. Tell me why I’m fabulous.” What I wouldn’t give to have inherited her self-confidence
So embarrassed by my kids. In the cinema. Film about to start. I look over and they haven’t even started their pic’n’mix. 🤷🏻♂️ Thankfully for Hathway pride I completely finished a family bag of Revels before the first trailer. Standards set. Standard met.
Seen a lot of people saying we should be tackling obesity rather than providing vaccinations. These are not either/or options. Get vaccinated and exercise. Get vaccinated and eat well. Do both - for yourself and your community.
Four years ago today I joined
@sportwales
. Hopefully I’ve done ok! It’s a cliche, but I honestly have been, and continue to be, so inspired by the people I work for & with in the sport sector. (Also comms team - I took that photo of the
@sportwalesNC
on Friday. You’re welcome)
Do you dream of waking up on a Saturday morning and being able to hear all the sports news via a thick valleys accent? Dream no more. I shall be reviewing the sports pages on
@BBCRadioWales
tomorrow morning around 8:45am for your enjoyment.
Every year my grandparents send me a Christmas card & put their surname in brackets in case I don’t know who they are? They are the only grandparents I have left.
@hath79
& I are the only set of grandchildren they have ever had. Not sure where they feel the confusion is.
If for nothing else,
@GeraintThomas86
's absolute dedication to promoting the Welsh cake at any and every opportunity, makes him one of my favorite ever Welsh people.
@LeanneWood
has been an incredible representative for the Rhondda, a friend & someone who has passionately stood firm to her beliefs like few other politicians do, even at times to her own personal detriment. She will be a loss to the Senedd regardless of political persuasions
With responsibility for public affairs in my job title it would have been pretty embarrassing to have failed this, but delighted to have passed given the stress of timing in which the final assignments were submitted. Diolch to
@GrahamSportW
and
@greenbanana
.
One of my roles at Sport Wales is to oversee community investments. After the 120 mins I’ve been pitch-side this morning I’m considering a proposal for free mandatory insulated gloves for all parents.
Delighted to have the pit crew ready to cool me off after a boiling hot 30km.
#SportWalesDoingSport
Haven’t run that far in a month and almost sacked it off at 20km when a random runner passed me, waved and shouted “Yes Punks.” Perfectly timed whoever you are
@runningpunks
At the end of the public speaking course I’ve been today everyone had to give a spontaneous 2min presentation on something you are passionate about.
Delighted to have knocked it out of the park with a speech on how good value Lidl rice pudding is at 32p a tin.
Just listened back to the
@BBCScrumV
podcast.
@SiwanLillicrap
is a credit to herself and Welsh rugby. Been a tough few weeks but she’s a great ambassador. When crowds are allowed back I’m really keen to go and watch & support more women’s sport. Shameful I’ve not been more before
Ending my leave having a pint with one of
@sportwales
’s finest gentlemen. A man that if you named a postcode could give you the details of every sports club in a 2 miles radius. He even brought me a present
If you want to see the power of sport in driving a nations branding and global impact you need only to see the worldwide coverage of Bale with the dragon draped over him this morning. Marvellous stuff
Told the hairdresser what I wanted. He then cut my hair in perfect silence. I tipped him double. This is how I want all my haircuts to go. Zero small talk
Super happy to get this sort of distance in the legs. Think it’s the furthest I’ve ever run. 30km/18.75 miles. I now know I could run from my house door to
@sportwalesNC
. A pretty solid
#SportWalesDoingSport
Imagine how far I could run if my diet wasn’t 78% custard based
Until the RCT lockdown I was supposed to be in holiday in West Wales this weekend. We climbed Pen Pych instead. As you can see....it was windy at the top
Been listening to
@samwarburton_
’s leadership podcast recently. Lots of great insights into what inspiring people feels like. Then
@BrianDavies09
brought me in a custard slice as a gift and I realised this was the true essence of empowering a team
#Motivation
Diolch boss
On the last day of their
@sportwales
A Place for Sport campaign, massive congratulations to
@tonyrefailbgc
for not only reaching their target but also their stretch target. £55,000 raised for their community. Incredible effort. 👏👏👏
This is so sad. The Welsh media is already under resourced and under valued. We should not underestimate the impact of this, not just on the individuals and news outlets, but on the quality of public policy. Scrutiny drives performance
Three years after I was too shy to ask
@LLPrice94
for a photo at the Wales Sport Awards I finally met the pound for pound number one sportsperson in Wales last night. The true Queen of Wales. Also brilliant to meet
@karriss_imogen
She’s practically Welsh now in my mind