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Public Health Dietetics welcome Welsh Governments Healthy & Active Team to Trelewis Primary School

#HealthyHappyFamilies   #TeuluoeddHapusIach

CTM UHB Public Health Dietetics were delighted to welcome Welsh Governments Healthy and Active Team to Trelewis Primary school.

The visit coincided with the launch of the Healthy Weight: Healthy Wales delivery plan for 2025 - 2027 Healthy Weight: Healthy Wales delivery plan 2025 to 2027 and its key action to expand the PIPYN programme of work.

Merthyr PIPYN is dedicated to supporting children (age 3-7 years) and their families to achieve a healthy weight. It is unique in its approach and sees CTM public health dietetics lead the way for embedding a whole system approach to healthy weights with a nested family-based intervention.

The Healthy and Active Team were joined by Cwm Taf Morgannwg’s Chair, Jonathan Morgan and Chief Executive Paul Mears who were provided with an overview of the programme so far and how its supported families to make long term healthy behaviour change. They heard from past and present families, as well as from Year 6 digital leaders, community and education partners who had all been directly supported by the team to create environments around the family that support healthy lifestyle behaviours and reduce the risk of obesity.

Paul Mears, Chief Executive reflected: "It was great to hear more about the PIPYN project and the impact it is having for children and families across Merthyr Tydfil. We were privileged to observe a session in progress to see the fun and collaborative way in which staff engaged with participants and hear directly from children and their parents about the positive changes that the programme has had on their lives. This programme is really important to us delivering our corporate mission of ‘building healthier communities together’ and we would like to thank the staff and schools involved who have made this such a success."

Public Health Dietetics and Welsh Governments Healthy and Active Teams

Shelley Powell, Public Health Dietetic Professional Manager, Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board and PIPYN programme lead added:

"We are extremely proud to share the work that the PIPYN team are doing to support children and families in Merthyr. Visits like this are a valuable opportunity to showcase the outcomes we are seeing from the families themselves, but to also reflect upon the vast influence the team is having in influencing wider system change to support healthy weights across the life course."

“We also wish to thank our partners, for their support, and for their ongoing dedication to making PIPYN the success story it is today.”

Ryan Morgan, Executive Headteacher of Taff Bargoed Learning Partnership confirmed that “At Trelewis Primary School, the PIPYN has had a significant and positive impact, helping us to promote healthy eating both in school and at home while strengthening our core values of community and wellbeing. Through its engaging and practical approach, PIPYN has empowered pupils to make healthier food choices and sparked meaningful conversations about nutrition within families. It has also enhanced our curriculum by providing hands-on learning experiences that support pupils’ physical development and understanding of healthy lifestyles. One of the greatest benefits has been the way PIPYN has deepened our home-school connections. By involving parents and carers in activities and sharing resources that can be used at home, the programme has created a shared sense of purpose around pupil wellbeing. It has also helped us build stronger links with the wider community, reinforcing our commitment to nurturing confident, healthy learners who are supported both inside and outside the classroom.”

Merthyr PIPYN has recently passed a significant milestone having delivered over 300 sessions to 284 families and 434 children in the area and has seen the service roll out in Rhondda and Taf Ely areas, due to primary care cluster funding.

The service is designed and delivered by Public Health Dietetics, informed and tailored by local Merthyr families and stakeholders. It offers a safe and fully inclusive, universally accessible programme which targets our families most in need of support to access and implement health lifestyle choices.

Further Information
If you want to know more about how your family can access these free family sessions, or hear directly from PIPYN families, visit our website Merthyr PIPYN - Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board or contact the Merthyr PIPYN team:

27/10/2025