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The Centre for Health, Activity and Wellbeing Research (CAWR) addresses some of society’s biggest health and wellbeing challenges through research, collaboration, and working with communities and special populations to change their lives for the better.
The Centre is located within the Cardiff School of Sport & Health Sciences, and aligns with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals related to good health, education, inequalities and climate change.
With strong links to other university-based research centres and organisations across the UK and internationally. The Centre aims to be the go-to source for health, activity and wellbeing research in Wales.
It welcomes collaboration with organisations and individuals, whether they’re a policy maker, practitioner, researcher or one of our project participants, or just interested in coming along to its in-person networking events.
The Centre is made up of the management team, an advisory group and individual members.
Areas of expertise
The Centre’s areas of expertise include:
- Public health and wellbeing
- Applied exercise science
- Applied psychology
- Physical health education for lifelong learning
- Wellbeing in demanding environments
There are over 200 members of Cardiff Met academic staff affiliated with CAWR across these areas of expertise.
Learn more about CAWR’s research projects in its latest annual report.
Working to solve some of society’s biggest challenges
The Centre aims to address some of society’s biggest challenges, as outlined in The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (2015) and the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act (2015).
These societal challenges include:
- prevention, treatment and management of disease
- physical activity and exercise promotion
- health, wellbeing and quality of life across the lifespan
- lifestyle behaviour and inequalities
- application of psychology to the improvement of human health, wellbeing and performance, with a focus on vulnerable and under-served groups.
Use CAWR’s expertise
Harnessing decades of research and sector experience – combined wide range of methodological skills – academics at the Centre can support your organisation in a range of areas, including:
- co-design of interventions and programmes
- evaluations of programmes
- rapid and systematic review services
- bespoke consultancy and advice services
To find out more about our services, please contact CAWR@cardiffmet.ac.uk.
Clinical exercise services
CAWR is involved in the Exercise for Health Hub, which provides clinical exercise prehabilitation and rehabilitation for a number of patient groups, including cancer and cardiac services.
In collaboration with Cardiff & Vale and Aneurin Bevan University Health Boards, the Hub provides over 1,000 patient contacts for exercise per year, delivered on our Cyncoed Campus.
CAWR Early Career Community (ECC)
The CAWR ECC is a supportive and welcoming environment for everyone who shares the Centre’s research interests and are new to academic life.
Although the CAWR ECC is based at Cardiff Met, the Centre is keen to have links beyond the university, so anyone from external institutions or organisations is welcome to join.
The community is also open to practitioners with an existing interest in conducting research or aspirations to get involved.
To find out more – or to join the ECC – please email Dr Tabitha Dickson.
Events
The Centre regularly holds events throughout the year, from conferences and networking series to lunchtime research sessions and writing retreats.
Featuring key note presentations from across the globe, and a range of presentations on each of the Centre’s areas of expertise, the annual conference is aimed at professionals from the health, education, sport and physical activity sectors, as well as policy makers, academics and researchers from across the UK.
Students and members of the public who take part in the Centre’s projects – either as participants or volunteers – are also warmly welcomed.
To find out when this year’s conference is taking place, please follow us on LinkedIn or email us at CAWR@cardiffmet.ac.uk.
The CAWR Research Networking Seminar Series are inter- and multi-disciplinary externally focused events on health, activity and wellbeing in society.
An inclusive space for collaboration, these events welcome academics, early career researchers and the Centre’s external partners to meet and discuss shared topics and challenges.
To get an idea of what the series is all about, watch the Centre’s first seminar, which covered supporting health, activity and wellbeing in a changing environment.
To learn more, please contact Dr Britt Hallingberg.
The Centre also organises a Lunchbyte series, a programme of short, virtual lunchtime seminars. These are open to all staff, students, members of the public and attract a worldwide audience.
These seminars showcase projects with a strong element of applied research, illustrating not just what was done, but why the research is useful from the practitioner’s point of view.
To find out more, please contact Dr Sarah Brown or Dr Zsofia Szekeres.
Every year, the Centre provides its members with the opportunity to spend the day writing in a supportive and inspiring environment away from campus.
Most of the time is dedicated to working independently, but you can also take part in brief scheduled discussions to give you a break from writing and a chance to network.
To find out more, please contact Dr Tabitha Dickson.
Our global networks
CAWR is a member of the following networks:
- CluB12
- EuroHealthNet
- European Education Research (EERA) Sport Pedagogy Network
- European Physical Literacy Group
- National Cardiovascular Research Network
- Wales Institute for Physical Activity, Health & Sport
- Wales School of Social Prescribing Research
- World Health Organization HEPA Europe
- World Rugby Science Network
Key partners
- Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
- Central South Sports and Activity Partnership
- Disability Sport Wales
- Expertise Wales
- Health and Care Research Wales
- Mid Wales Sports Partnership
- Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust
- Ospreys Rugby
- Platfform
- Public Health Wales
- Sport Wales
- School of Hard Knocks
- Sêr Cymru
- The Academy of Medical Sciences
- The Waterloo Foundation
- Welsh Government
- Welsh Institute of Physical Activity, Health & Sport
- Welsh Water
- West Wales Sports Partnership
- Airlift
- British Heart Foundation
- DNA Definitive
- Everton in the Community
- Miova
- May Measure Month
- National Cardiovascular Research Network (NCRN)
- National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)
- Premiership Rugby
- Rugby Football Union
- Sheffield Hallam University Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre
- Sport Northern Ireland
- Rugby Players Association
- Rubicon Dance
Management team
Latest publications
View the latest publications from the Centre for Health, Activity and Wellbeing Research.
Annual report
Learn more about CAWR and what it has achieved in the past year in its latest annual report.
Find out more
Visit the CAWR’s research explorer page to learn more about its members, research outputs, collaborations and how its work contributes to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.