These short sessions cover a wide variety of public health topics and aim to develop professionals’ awareness and practice around the subjects covered.
At a typical 'Want to know more about...' session you will:
- learn how to identify the public health issue being covered
- discover local services that are working to improve the issue
- understand ways you can help, should you choose to
The sessions are free of charge and are presented by friendly and knowledgeable facilitators who are experts in their fields, including specialists from the Leeds Public Health team.
Upcoming sessions
Want To Know More About…Physical Activity and Active Leeds
Thursday 21 May 2026, 10am to 11am
This session is for anyone that wants to learn more about what physical activity is, the benefits of moving more and how Active Leeds provision can help support this.
The webinar will cover:
- overview to the Physical Activity Ambition for Leeds
- what is physical activity and what are the guidelines
- benefits of moving more
- introduce the new Moving More Network for the city
- overview of Active Leeds provision including LEAP
- how to access our provision
The session will be delivered by Nicki Simpson (Health Programme Manager) and Rachel Rowe (Development Officer) from Active Leeds, with input from Public Health.
Want To Know More About... evaluation of the Leeds Mindful Employer Network
Mon, 1 Jun 2026, 11am to 12:30pm
The Leeds Mindful Employer Network, commissioned by Leeds City Council, Public Health and delivered by Leeds Mind, supports employers in Leeds to champion positive mental health at work. This unique Network puts the city at the forefront of initiatives to develop healthy workplace culture, tackle stigma and promote positive mental wellbeing in the workplace. The Network is an inclusive space for employers to share good practice, access peer support, and benefit from practical tools and guidance to build mentally healthier workplaces.
An evaluation of the Mindful Employer Network has recently been undertaken by the Public Health Intervention Responsive Studies Teams (PHIRST) at the University of Edinburgh to evaluate how different types of employers make use of the Network and how they translate the Network resources into action. The evaluation addresses the perceived impact, benefit, and challenges of the Network to understand how it could be improved to increase engagement and impact.
This online session will:
- provide insight to the Leeds Mindful Employer Network
- share information on how the PHIRST team approached the evaluation and the benefits of this type of research
- highlight the perceived impact, benefits, and challenges of the Network from the lens of existing and potential members
- share recommendations to improve and increase Network engagement
The webinar will be of interest anyone who would like to find out more about the Leeds Mindful Employer initiative and how this benefits organisations across Leeds, as well as those who are responsible for the co-ordination, delivery, and evaluation of their own Network.
The session will be delivered by Leeds City Council Public Health, in partnership with Leeds Mind and the PHIRST evaluation team.
Want To Know More About…Food and activity for a healthy pregnancy
Monday 15 June 2026, 11:45am to 1pm
This session will provide an overview of nutrition and physical activity during pregnancy and the impact on maternal and child health. We will look at how we can better support pregnant people to develop healthy eating and physical activity behaviours, with reference to national guidance and local initiatives. The session is for anyone working with individuals planning pregnancy, during pregnancy or post-partum.
The session will cover:
- national and local picture
- nutrition in pregnancy
- weight in pregnancy
- physical activity in pregnancy
- signposting resources
The session will be delivered by Nicola Goldsborough (Leeds City Council) and Camilla Nykjaer (University of Leeds)
Want to know more about... improving the health of learning disabled and autistic adults
Thursday 2 July 2026, 11am to midday
Creating a healthy lifestyle isn't just about physical fitness; it’s about empowerment, autonomy, and finding joy in wellbeing. For learning disabled and autistic adults, navigating health and wellbeing can often come with unique barriers such as sensory processing differences, navigating complex healthcare systems and inaccessible information.
At this webinar we will be discussing the barriers many people face, and practical ways we can all work together to make healthy living more accessible for everyone.
- insights from the food and nutrition workshop
- insights from delivering health and wellbeing sessions for learning disabled and autistic adults
- the importance of individualised interventions
- the involvement of the individual’s circle of support
- wellbeing duty: the need to support healthy choices
This online session will be delivered by:
Emma Strachan, Health Improvement Specialist (Food and Nutrition), Leeds City Council Public Health team and Al Mayes, Healthy Lifestyles Project Manager, People in Action
Want To Know More About... Mental Health Survival Toolkit resource
Tuesday 14 July, 12:30pm to 1:15pm
Teenagers in Leeds are being encouraged to reflect on what helps them when life feels overwhelming or they are struggling with their mental wellbeing by creating their own Survival Toolkit.
A new interactive resource has been produced to support professionals working with young people (such as youth workers, teachers or community workers) to run group work sessions to help young people create their own digital or physical toolkit. For more information visit the Survival Toolkit on the MindMate website
This webinar will cover:
- how the idea was created by a MindMate Ambassador, and how she uses the concept personally
- how this was developed into an interactive resource for professionals working with young people
- practical advice about delivering a group session using the toolkit resource
- how Time for Young People, an emotional wellbeing service, can support young people who want to explore the concept further
Please note – the resource is not aimed at primary aged children as it refers to mobile phones, social media etc, however the concept can be applied still, so if you work with this age group you can attend and then create your own simple resource.
This webinar will be delivered by Charlotte Hanson (Advanced Health Improvement Specialist, Public Health - Leeds City Council), Hope (MindMate Ambassador) and Kieran Fowler (Time for Young People, The Children’s Society)
Want to know more about... films
Some of the 'Want to know more about…' sessions are recorded and published to YouTube.
You can watch recorded webinars and other training films on the Leeds Public Health Training playlist on YouTube, at a time that is suitable to you. If you attended a session that was recorded, this is where it will be published.
Leeds Public Health training playlist
Delivering a want to know more about… session
If you are interested in delivering a 'Want to know more about...' session to raise awareness of a particular public health issue or service, please contact us at phforall@leeds.gov.uk for a discussion.
