Britain is apparently in the grip of an obesity epidemic and people are being urged to get more active, whatever their age.

Business Argus has asked the local business community what they do to help promote sport and wellbeing in the wider community.

Nick Park, director at Green & Co Accountants and Tax Advisors, Cwmbran

We are very keen to support a healthy work/life balance and general fitness is an important part of that. We work closely with the Parkway Hotel and Spa next door to our offices which has excellent conference and gym facilities. We have been able to organise gym membership for all of our team, which is a great resource for everyone that is well used at lunch times and on weekends. We encourage cycling to work by having cycle storage and showering and changing facilities. We also have a weekly circuits session organised by one of our most enthusiastic team members.

Andrew Lewis, CEO, Monmouthshire Building Society, Newport

As a mutual organisation, owned by and for our members, we consistently provide support to the local community through direct sponsorship, our Community Acorn Fund and our Charitable Foundation. Our ongoing support regularly benefits groups such as Gwent Young Cricketers and Newport and District Cricket League as well as more niche groups such as Torfaen Bowls Club and Monmouth Rowing Regatta. We’ve also recently given donations to Tiger Bay Brawlers, Ballet Cymru and Ice Cool Kids, an inclusive skiing charity, to ensure our support reaches a diverse cross section of the community. Community support is a key value of our Newport-based building society, and we’re honoured to give back to the people who lie at the heart of our business. Sport provides an ideal opportunity for people of all ages and abilities to get together, playing a vital role in both mental and physical wellbeing, and our support will continue for a long time to come!

Dave Matthews, operations manager, Centric Recruitment, Newport

As a recruitment agency people are at the heart of what we do and I think this is one of the reasons why we have done lots to support sport clubs from grass root level upwards as well as using sport itself to support good causes. In the last 12 months we've organised and sponsored charity bike rides and golf days for the likes of Ty Hafon and Casey's Cause. We also sponsor and support mini rugby clubs in Risca and Ynysddu. It's important we get involved in supporting clubs like these because as a business we are part of the community and want to help it thrive.

Scott Pearson, managing director, Newport Transport

Providing people with opportunities to improve their fitness for their general wellbeing is important for all companies to try and embrace on some level. As Gwent's main bus operator we play a very active roll in providing schools, sport clubs and groups with access to significantly discounted private hire bus transport making it easier for them to get to and from the sport and leisure activities they take part in. We also provide sponsorship opportunities for grass root clubs. These clubs play a vital role in our communities and it's important we support them whenever we can.

Daniel Wilde, partner and head of employment, HardingEvans Solicitors, Newport

We take a keen interest in the sporting world acting for a number of leading sporting organisations as well as star players such as Sam Warburton since he signed his first professional contract and James Hook. The firm has sponsored Usk CC and hopes its sponsorship will uncover the next Simon Jones. Our commitment to sport runs throughout the firm we have a football team who enter local football leagues and also an active running club #TeamHE. As part our commitment to social corporate responsibility members of our staff have run marathons for Bobath Wales, our corporate charity and our football team entered the Scriv Soccer 7 for Paul Scriven who suffered a severe stroke in 2009.

Paul Byett, managing partner, UHY Hacker Young, Newport

We have extremely strong sporting links through our Sports Desk led by Elliott Buss. We look after 30-plus professional sportspeople including 15 current Welsh international rugby players. We sponsor Crosskeys Rugby Club, Monmouth Rugby Club with Treowen Stars Football Club and Abercarn Rugby Club in the future. We see this as our commitment to helping teams at the grass roots who encourage wide participation from children under 10 all the way to semi-professional first teams. We have clients including Welsh Hockey, Welsh FA Trust, Welsh Netball which further enhances our relationship and commitment to sport in Wales.

Helen Davies, organiser, Indaba Corporate Events, Newport

My business partner Caroline de Lange and I feel very strongly about the value of sport in our day to day lives. Not only does it help tackle the increasing obesity problem and keeps you physically fit, but more importantly, sport teaches participants fundamental skills such as dedication, teamwork, dealing with failure, strategies and enjoyment. These are valuable skills that set you up for life. It is with this in mind, that we are hosting The Challenge Summit on November 19 at the Vale Resort. The summit will be showcasing high profile sports people who have gone on after their sporting careers to be just as successful in their business ventures. Each speaker will share their personal stories of successes and failures and will outline strategies that they set out to achieve personal goals. The benefits of sport are far reaching and The Challenge Summit will showcases how these leadership and management strategies can be used by businesses today.

Steve Hughes, Principality Building Society’s group finance director

We are proud to be at the heart of the communities in which we live and work. Our wide-reaching support programme that impacts on our communities across Wales and the borders is a celebration of everything which is great about Wales and we hope to use it to enhance many more lives throughout the next few years. Sport is a fantastic way to do this as it helps to create discipline, foster teamwork and keeps people active. This year alone we have been involved in numerous community projects and sponsored a number of sports teams across the country including the rugby team at Llanishen High School, the juniors at Ynystawe Cricket Club and golf lessons with Ladies European Tour Rookie of the Year Amy Boulden, to name a few. We are also the sponsors of grass roots rugby in Wales with our support for the Principality Premiership.

On top of this we have also been clearing ponds at local primary schools, supporting Only Boys Aloud, tidying up community centres, clearing gardens at homeless shelters and much more as we try to give vital support to our communities.