A Welsh mum is fuming that parents cannot watch their children take part in school sports days due to Covid restrictions - but 60,000 fans can go to Wembley to watch England beat Denmark.
Kellie Fender from Skewen, near Neath, feels that many parents are similarly upset about the rules when they can switch on the TV and see sports fans in their thousands enter sports stadiums, reports Wales Online.
Wembley has been host to several Euro 2020 matches and all but one of England's games as they have progressed to the final. There will be another big crowd to watch the final clash with Italy on Sunday.
More than 6,000 rugby fans have also been allowed to watch Wales play at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, and the Centre Court at Wimbledon will be full from the quarter finals onwards at Wimbledon.
Yet parents are missing out on seeing crucial moments in their children's school lives due to the pandemic.
Kellie missed her daughter’s last primary school sports day and is set to miss "leaver day" next week.
“We were not able to attend sports day last year, something that was totally understandable,” said Kellie, whose 11-year-old daughter Kara attends Croeserw Primary School in Cymmer, Neath Port Talbot.
“But the rates are very low in Neath Port Talbot at the moment and the current rules and guidance are all backwards as far as I’m concerned.
"Thousands of people are allowed into a stadium but we’re not allowed to have a few parents watch their children take part in sports day or leavers’ day.
"The teachers have been marvellous but it’s not down to them. I feel very angry about it. It’s not fair, and there are parents all over the country who feel the same.”
Wales and England have different rules in place for the pandemic. In England, the majority of the remaining Covid restrictions are expected to end in less than two weeks’ time, including the mandatory wearing of face masks and social distancing guidelines.
A similar announcement has not been made in Wales, and confusion remains over the ability of people to attend outdoor events, and who in fact makes key decisions.
The Welsh Government has actually stressed that schools across the country are allowed, according to the latest guidance, to welcome parents and guardians to certain events, including school sports days.
While they may not wish to add to the burden already placed on staff with regards to safeguarding, it is schools, ultimately, and in conjunction with their local authority, which have to make the decision, and there is no blanket ban across the country.
A spokesman for the Welsh Government said: “School sports days - and other similar events - can go ahead, and parents, guardians and other family members are permitted to attend, providing schools carry out appropriate risk assessments and discuss plans with their local authority.”
Cardiff Council has said decisions were made by individual schools, while in Carmarthenshire, a wider approach has been put in place.
The authority's director of education and children’s services, Gareth Morgans, said: "We had to make a decision weeks ago to support our schools.
"With rising numbers of the new variant, it is important that we continue to limit contact between children and adults on school premises.
"The Technical Advisory Cell and Public Health Wales advise that the existing control measures we have in place remain essential in responding to the new variant and in helping to reduce transmission of the virus.
"Furthermore, by law, local councils, employers and schools must protect people from harm and this includes taking all reasonable measures to protect staff, learners and others from Covid-19 within the setting."
Kellie’s daughter Kara is leaving her primary school next Friday, and she and other parents will be allowed to watch a ceremony of the final day on a video stream, but, she says it won't be the same.
She wants to be there to see her daughter’s last day at a school she has attended for years.
With no set date yet in place for a further easing of restrictions - the next review is due to take place later this month - it appears that decision-making is being placed on education leaders at a local level who have to balance criticism from disappointed parents with the need to keep everyone safe.
Kellie continued: “I really don’t think the Welsh government is thinking of the parents. So far there is no roadmap here in Wales for when restrictions will ease like there is in England. I watched the health minister give a press conference on Monday and I thought she was taking the mickey.
“A child’s last day at primary school is one of the most important days of their lives. I felt for the parents who couldn’t attend last year’s last day of school but at least then you could understand it because of the situation we were in at the time, but as for this year? It’s ridiculous.”
The latest seven-day infection rate in Neath Port Talbot is 48.1, way below the Welsh average of 103.2.
The average has been skewed by high numbers in certain areas, particularly in North Wales, which has four out of the five highest rates in the country - Wrexham has the highest with a rate of 230.2.
“The way the rates are here at the moment I do think that if it’s deemed safe enough, it should be a case of go ahead,” said Kellie.
“At the end of the day we should, as parents, be able to witness our children’s last day in school.”
