The Being You Leeds logo, which is the outline of a plant with 5 leaves, it's roots and a wiggly line coming from its roots underneath the words BEING YOU LEEDS. The logo is in shades of green and blue on a white background.

Being You Leeds aims to improve the wellbeing of local communities across Leeds, with groups, activities, training and awareness sessions.

Who is it for and how can I access it?

Being You Leeds is for anyone in Leeds aged over 16. Accessing it is easy! Just take a look at their pages on MindWell for more information and to explore upcoming activities in the monthly calendar. If you find something you like the look of, just contact the member of staff listed on the timetable and they’ll book you in. You can also find links to training and volunteering.


What does Being You Leeds do?

Being You Leeds works to improve the wellbeing of local communities in Leeds by focusing on what communities can do and where their strengths are. They have three main ways of doing this:

Groups and activities – open to anyone looking to improve their wellbeing. They are:

  • free to join and attend
  • focused on wellbeing
  • fun and welcoming
  • running seven days a week, including evenings and weekends
  • based around activities chosen by group members.

Training and awareness raising sessions – for staff and volunteers working in community organisations and members of the public in Leeds. Training includes:

  • Mental Health First Aid
  • community wellbeing
  • suicide prevention.

Tackling mental health stigma and discrimination – through all of Being You Leeds’ activities and also:

  • through training
  • with their Anti-Stigma Champions
  • during campaigns
  • by having a strategic partnership.


How does Being You Leeds help people take care of their mental health?

Everything they do is based on the 5 Ways to Wellbeing. These are 5 steps that anyone can take to improve their overall wellbeing in a way that works for them. These steps are:

  • Connecting with others
  • Learning new things
  • Being active
  • Giving to others
  • Taking notice of our surroundings

You can find out more on the Being You Leeds pages on MindWell and on the NHS’s mental health self-help pages.


Can I volunteer or support their work?

Yes! There are lots of volunteering opportunities available at Being You Leeds. You can join as a group volunteer, Befriender or Anti-Stigma Champion.

Group volunteers help keep the free groups and activities running smoothly. From set up to clear up and coming up with ideas, you can help put your own spin on the role.

Befrienders work one-to-one with socially isolated people living in the local community, to help them attend groups and activities. Befriending starts with an initial phone call, then moves into face-to-face meetups. Befrienders can make a big difference in someone’s life.

Anti-Stigma Champions use their lived experience of mental health conditions to help tackle stigma and discrimination. They do this by raising awareness through conversations, attending key events and meetings throughout Leeds, and promoting anti-stigma in their everyday lives.

Get involved
Applications for volunteering opportunities will be opening soon, so keep an eye on Being You Leeds on social media to join in and help make a difference (see below).


How can I get in touch with the service or learn more about what they offer?

To stay up-to-date with all things Being You Leeds, you can:

To book a place on one of their training courses, visit the Community Links website and fill in a booking form.


This year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is about moving more for better mental health. How could Being You Leeds help me be more active?

Being Your Leeds walking group
Purple logo for the Mental Health Foundation and Mental Health Awareness Week 13-19 May 2024

Being You Leeds knows how important being active is to our physical and mental health, so they offer a variety of active groups, including walking and gym groups.

Wellbeing and gym sessions offer members the chance to look after both their mental and physical wellbeing. Group members attend wellbeing sessions at Cromwell Mount, learning about self-care, boundary-setting, stress management and lots more. After that, members head to Pure Gym together for free gym sessions, and work on reaching their fitness goals.

Walking groups offer people the chance to get together in a safe way and enjoy their local parks. They are another great way to meet new people, as well as getting active and enjoying nature. It’s also a great way to build confidence in going walking on your own and see new parts of Leeds in a friendly and welcoming environment.


I’m thinking about joining a walking or gym group, but I feel nervous. What good things can I expect from coming along?

The gym and walking groups are run by friendly, welcoming and professional group leaders. When you book a place, they will make sure to discuss with you any feelings of nervousness or reservations and work with you to put things in place to help any anxieties.

Their approach is person-centred, so if there’s something you think would help you specifically then they will do their best to help put you at ease.


So how do I book a place?

Booking a super is easy! Just get in touch with the group leaders listed on the timetable, either through text or call. All of groups are completely free, and you can attend as little or as much as you’d like.

Each group writes their own group agreement. This is an agreement between group members about how the group will be run to give everyone a say. This means that you will always know what to expect when attending a Being You Leeds group.


Be next in the MindWell spotlight? If you’re an organisation, service or volunteer-run group in Leeds, supporting people’s mental health and wellbeing, and would like to feature in a future MindWell Directory spotlight, we’d love to hear from you.

Get in touch with us at mindwellleeds@gmail.com