Promoting positive behaviour change is central to all our work at Magpie, which is why we were thrilled to host a week of taster events to mark the launch of the Wellbeing Innovation Network last week.
The programme of events, hosted in our brand new Ideas Café, included 10 inspiring sessions from a diverse range of health and wellbeing professionals across Leeds, who each shared their unique approach to improving wellbeing across the city.
We were bowled over by the new NHS app, blown away by Kissing it Better’s incredible work and inspired by Keep Real’s creative approach to tackling young people’s mental health.
Here are a handful of Jake’s highlights from the week…
The week began by welcoming Lisa Hammond, a makeup up artist and wellbeing blogger from Leeds. Lisa shared her personal experiences with post-natal depression and how she uses her expertise in beauty to help promote self-care for women who are struggling with their mental or physical health. This includes being a makeup expert on BBC Radio Leeds, as well as running makeup and pampering sessions for people who are currently going through chemotherapy.
The inspiring session ended with a group conversation about the subject, allowing people to open-up about their own experiences with their mental health.
Another highlight was joining Rob Kilner for a walkabout tour of Kirkgate Market – the biggest of its kind in Europe. The session showcased how ‘lunchtime adventures’ can help you to relax and de-stress before returning to work. Andy, Josh and Kate were amongst those who took the tour and got to sample scrumptious Vietnamese street food, delicious onion bhajis and coffee and cake to finish. Everyone returned with very full stomachs and re-energised heads!
To finish the week, WIN hosted Jen Wren from dance company, Slanjayvah Danza who spoke about using dance to communicate serious issues regarding health and wellbeing. She showed us a section of one of her shows Crazy Joanna. The dance exposed the psychological impacts of domestic violence on women, and how victims of domestic abuse can recover. We discussed her upcoming projects and also suggested some subjects she could cover in the future.
Overall, the week was a huge success, and we can’t wait for the future of the Wellbeing Innovation Network. Watch this space!
If you’re interested in joining WIN, you can sign up to the mailing list here: wearemagpie.com/win-signup/