In May 2025, the Leeds Mental Wellbeing Service (LMWS) Inclusion Team began an important collaboration with Afrikindness, a Leeds‑based charity dedicated to supporting the wellbeing and empowerment of Black communities. Together, we set out a goal to improve access to mental health support for Black people in Leeds and ensure LMWS services are more inclusive and culturally responsive.
Over the past year, we developed and distributed a community survey focused on the thoughts, beliefs and experiences of Black people in Leeds around mental health. We also hosted an in‑person workshop that created space for open conversation and shared learning.
We received around 180 responses, a powerful reflection of community engagement and a rich source of insight to help shape future service development. These findings are highlighting key themes around access, cultural expectations, trust and the types of support people value most.
We are currently working on a detailed report capturing what we’ve learned so far. Alongside this, we are continuing conversations with Afrikindness to co‑design tailored information workshops that will better support the individuals and families they work with.
This partnership is a meaningful step forward in our wider health equity commitments, and we’re excited to keep building on the momentum.
If you’d like to learn more about the collaboration or explore ways to support this work, please get in touch via email at: lmwscoproduction@touchstonesupport.org.uk