If you’re looking to improve your mental health or wellbeing through exercise or moving more, you’ve come to right place. Explore the range of free or low-cost physical activity groups and activities available in your local community.
Let us know if you spot any activities that are no longer running or that should be added and we’ll update our list!
Please note that groups and activities might have termly timetables, take breaks over school holidays or not run on Bank Holidays. Always follow links given, check on social media or contact them to make sure before you go.
City-wide
- Active Leeds (leisure centres) – Active Leeds supports people in Leeds to become active through low cost access to leisure centres and a timetable of community sports and activities including football, swimming and zumba groups.
- Being You Leeds – runs walking groups, Wellbeing Walks and Wellbeing and Gym groups. Being You Leeds runs groups and activities seven days a week, including on evenings and weekends, in local venues across Leeds.
- City Connect – City Connect provides help with getting started with cycling and walking, free adult cycling training and route planners.
- Climb Alongside Mental Health (C/A/M) – Climb Alongside Mental Health (C/A/M) promotes the positive effects of rock climbing to help with mental health.
- Leeds Girls Can – Leeds Girls Can celebrates active women in Leeds.
- Leeds Ramblers – Leeds Ramblers brings people together for fresh air, exercise and the sheer enjoyment of walking in the countryside with good company.
- Mental Health Mates Leeds – Mental Health Mates Leeds is a friendly peer support community group which meets monthly to walk, talk and share with others, without fear of judgement.
- Ping Pong 4U – Ping Pong 4U offers Ping Pong activities for individuals of all ages and abilities, schools, charities and organisations.
- Walk and Talk (Women’s Walking Group) – Walk and Talk (Women’s walking group) can help you rediscover the beauty of being outside, feel healthier and connect with other women.
- Yorkshire Sport Foundation – Yorkshire Sport Foundation uses physical activity and sports to bring people together and tackle inequality.
- Zest (East and across city) – Zest offers support and opportunity to people living in disadvantaged areas of Leeds to promote happy and healthy lifestyles.
North Leeds
LS6, LS7, LS8, LS16, LS17, LS21, LS22, LS23
- Feel Good Factor (Chapeltown and Harehills) – Feel Good Factor (FGF) is a charity based in Chapeltown which provides a range of community health and wellbeing groups and activities for people living in Chapeltown and Harehills.
- Shantona Leeds (LS8) – Shantona Leeds offer a range of support services focused on empowering women and strengthening families.
- Space2 (Gipton) – Space2, based in Gipton, Leeds, run several groups and activities with a focus on health and wellbeing.
- Wheels 4 Fun – Wheels 4 Fun is a community disability cycling group.
- Your Back Yard – a Leeds-based social enterprise helping people live healthier, more active and happier lives across West Yorkshire, and beyond! Based in Headingley, they offer online and in-person digital inclusion cafés and fitness groups, such as walking football in Bramley, tai chi on Zoom, a Headingley-based walking group, Crown Green bowling in Burley and yoga classes in Woodhouse. Find out more on their website and contact them by emailing contact@yourbackyard.org.uk or calling 07970 903766.
East Leeds
LS9, LS14, LS15, LS25, LS24, LS25
- Big Club Fitness – community gym-based session with direction for beginners, catered to bigger bodies. No experience needed and one-to-one support offered. Meets on Thursdays from 10.00am to 11.00am at the Denis Healey Centre, LS14 6RD. Email seacroftcommunityontop@outlook.com for more details.
- Seacroft Wheelers (cycling club) – Seacroft Wheelers is a friendly cycling club based in the east of Leeds which welcomes all riders from raw beginners to competitive racers.
- Strega Running Club – a dedicated women’s-only running community based in Leeds LS9, offering a secure and encouraging environment for local women to enjoy in outdoor exercise. The club focuses on physical fitness, social connections and promoting overall wellbeing. They aim to empower women of all ages and fitness levels, with weekly running sessions, monthly social gatherings and occasional walking activities. Find out more on their Instagram page @stregarunning.
- Walk it: Ride it – First steps to walking group – weekly group based in East Leeds, helping people to improve thier confidence, fitness and walking skills. Contact Joe for more information: joek@touchstonesupport.org.uk.
West Leeds
LS4, LS5, LS12, LS13, LS18, LS19, LS20, LS28
- Barca-Leeds Better Together Project (West Leeds) – Barca-Leeds Better Together project run several community groups for adults in West Leeds including walking, arts and craft sessions, yoga and cooking groups.
- Bramley Baths – Bramley Baths is a community-led, not-for-profit centre for fitness, health and fun, which houses a public gym, swimming pool and space for community events, meetings and fitness classes.
- Guiseley Community Foundation – Guiseley Community Foundation run free men’s football and chat sessions in Nethermoor Park.
- The Conversation Volunteers (TCV) Hollybush (Kirkstall) – Hollybush TCV is a community volunteering charity which offers a wide range of conservation activities, courses and opportunities for volunteering. Hollybush TCV Conservation Centre is based in Kirkstall, Leeds.
- Your Back Yard – a Leeds-based social enterprise helping people live healthier, more active and happier lives across West Yorkshire, and beyond! Based in Headingley, they offer online and in-person digital inclusion cafés and fitness groups, such as walking football in Bramley, tai chi on Zoom, a Headingley-based walking group, Crown Green bowling in Burley and yoga classes in Woodhouse. Find out more on their website and contact them by emailing contact@yourbackyard.org.uk or calling 07970 903766.
City Centre
LS1, LS2, LS3, LS11
- Hamara Men’s Walking Group – Hamara runs an exercise and walking group for men aged 55 and over who live in the LS11 area.
- Leeds Angels Football – Angels of Freedom are working with the Leeds United Foundation to deliver free LGBT+ weekly fitness through football sessions. All experience and fitness levels welcome, including absolute beginners.
- Recovery Runners – Recovery Runners is a running group for anyone who is interested in running to recover from life changing events or addictive behaviours.
- #runandtalk – runandtalk is a social running group for anyone who wants to improve their mental wellbeing through running.
- Your Back Yard – a Leeds-based social enterprise helping people live healthier, more active and happier lives across West Yorkshire and beyond! Based in Headingley, they offer online and in-person fitness groups, such as walking netball, walking football, crown green bowling, tai chi on Zoom and yoga classes in Woodhouse.
South Leeds
LS10, LS11, LS12, LS26, LS27
- Asha Neighbourhood Project – Asha Neighbourhood Project aims to improve the lives of all women and children living in South Leeds providing a healthier, happier and more productive life.
- Better Together (South Leeds) – Better Together is a healthy communities, healthy lives project across inner South Leeds, including physical activity sessions such as Tai Chi, walk and talk and men or women only exercise groups.
- Fit Minds with Leeds United Foundation – Fit Minds from Leeds United Foundation is a free, 12 week course focusing on mental health and wellbeing
- Hamara Healthy Living Centre (Beeston) – Hamara Healthy Living Centre is an ethnic minority organisation that runs a wide range of groups and activities for different age groups.
- LS-TEN – LS-TEN offers an engagement and wellbeing programme to promote physical activity, positive engagement and making positive choices.
- New Wortley Centre – New Wortley Community Centre works to provide services and support to the people of New Wortley including a range of groups in person and online, in partnership with Live Well Leeds.
- Run Talk Run – Run Talk Run aims to make both running and mental health support less intimidating and more accessible.
Explore other wellbeing activities and peer support groups in Leeds
Creative groups and activities
You can find a wide range of organisations in Leeds that can help you to enjoy arts activities, events, workshops and classes.
Explore creative activity groups
Outdoor groups and activities
There are also gardening and allotment groups around Leeds, which encourage people to get together to grow and nurture plants, develop their garden care skills, get some exercise and have a chat.
Explore outdoor activity groups
Peer support groups
Peer support brings together people with similar experiences so that they can help and support each other. Joining a support group can help you to develop effective ways of coping in a safe, friendly and supportive space.
Regular wellbeing groups and activities
Take a step towards prioritising your mental wellbeing and explore the diverse range of wellbeing groups and activities available online or in your local community.