Covid: Mother's Day meet-ups planned as Wales' lockdown eases

Plans for outdoor Mother's Day meet-ups are under way as a relaxation of Wales' lockdown rules comes into force.

From Saturday, up to four adults from two households can meet up in a private garden.

The stay-at-home rule has now been replaced by a requirement to stay local.

For Charlotte Phillips from Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan, Sunday will be the first time she has spent time with her mother since Christmas.

"I'm really pleased," she said.

Last year, as the pandemic took hold, Charlotte's family abandoned plans to meet up for lunch on Mother's Day. The UK went into its first Covid lockdown just 13 days later on 23 March.

"I'd arranged for family to come round for Mother's Day lunch on that Sunday but we took a decision to not see each other, so I went dropping plates of food round to my family's gardens and wasn't able to see them," she said.

The new rules mean she can now visit her parents in their garden in Aberthaw, about five miles (8km) away: "It'll be really nice to go over this year and actually spend time with them in the garden, catching up because they have pretty much been in since March last year.

"I'm not going to do a lot because of cross-contamination with Covid, just have a glass of wine in their garden, see them for a little bit and take some presents over."

If it rains she has a plan B: "I have bought a gazebo - I bought it when you could still meet people in your garden - I may have to erect that in my garden and they can come here... we'll sort something out."

Many restaurants have diversified during lockdown with some offering takeaway meals and cakes, like Pat Hughes who runs a café in Caernarfon, Gwynedd, which provides takeaway afternoon teas.

She said she was running the service over Saturday and Sunday because she has had "so many calls".

"After doing them at Christmas, we decided we would do takeaway afternoon teas every weekend and it's been going great," she told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

"I've been grateful otherwise we would be in trouble."

Angelika Monks, from Anglesey, has not seen her son Steven, 35, since Christmas.

Steven, who has cerebral palsy and severe learning difficulties, lives in a supported living setting.

From Saturday, designated solo visitors can also enter care homes.

"I can't tell you what it's been like and it is just as bad for Steven as well," she said.

She is waiting to find out if the relaxation of care home visit rules means she can visit her son, but the end of the stay-at-home rule means she can look forward to travelling to meet him outdoors again.

"We live on the same island but Steven is in Holyhead, and we live near Llanfair-PG [Llanfairpwllgwyngyll] so it's about 30-odd miles, and so we weren't allowed to go to see him," she said.

"I can't really express myself... it will be so wonderful to actually be normal again... it will make such a difference to our lives and to his life as well."

She hopes to be reunited with him on Mother's Day: "That is a decision we'll have to make on the day - if the weather is nice, we're going to come out and meet him in the park, if the weather is not nice we can't do that. Decisions will have to be made day by day."

Outdoor sports facilities such as golf and tennis have also begun reopening following Friday's lockdown easing.

Lowri Roberts is a member of Cottrell Park Golf Resort in Cardiff and pleased to be able to play again.

"I think it's good news that we're able to play golf again - it's very welcome," she said.

"It is an important part of your life, it takes at least four hours on a Saturday morning - I think many people have missed the opportunity to play some sports, get some fresh air, be with nature, even compete."

She said she backed the Welsh Government's lockdown restrictions: "I think most golfers understand why it's not been possible until now... we all have perspective - so many other things have been happening - it can't have been the most important thing.

"I'm looking forward to getting back but I fully understand what the government's chosen to do and why we've not been able to play since Christmas - and I'm fine with it."

Wales' "stay at home" law will switch to "stay local" on Saturday and there will be guidance on what that means, according to where you live.

It is only likely to last for two weeks, however, ending on 27 March if conditions allow.

"The rule of thumb is that you should think of local as a five-mile radius from where you live," First Minister Mark Drakeford said.

"But if you live in a valleys community or a rural area you can exercise your judgement and go a little bit further."

Dyfed-Powys Police Federation representative Roger Webb said forces had not been given any information ahead of the announcement on how officers should engage on the new rules and enforce them.

He said they would use common sense and work "in the best way possible" to make them effective.