The Big Leeds Chat headed to the Feel Good Factor men’s group, which took place in the organisation’s base in Chapeltown.
What did people at Feel Good Factor’s Men’s Group?
At the Feel Good Factor men’s group, people told us that they didn’t feel some areas got the same care and attention as other, more affluent parts of the city. The men felt that roads could be better planned in Harehills so there was less congestion, and they would also like to feel safer when they were out and about.
Feel Good Factor Social Group
Feel Good Factor’s social group meets regularly on a weekend, giving members the chance to catch up with friends.
About 15 people joined us for this chat
What did people say at Feel Good Factor’s Social Group?
At this Big Leeds Chat, people told us how much of a lifeline Feel Good Factor had been during the pandemic, including for people living alone. They would love to see the lunch clubs that stopped during
lockdowns brought back, as well as shorter waiting lists for really useful community services like gardening and decorating.
People’s mobility had been affected by not
getting out, as well as their mental wellbeing. The group hadn’t found it easy to get through to their GP surgeries to book appointments, and they had struggled to get face-to-face care in particular. They said they hadn’t been able to get more routine treatment, and there was also a perception that things like screening were happening in some areas but not others.
People told us that they’d had trouble getting appointments and paying for dental work, to the extent that they’d put off getting the treatment they needed. They pointed out that they couldn’t do anything about this situation because they knew they wouldn’t find another dentist to take them on.
In all our conversations about accessing health and care, there was a feeling that people had to fight to get the help they needed, as well as acknowledgement that not everyone is able to do that. People talked about services using COVID as an excuse for reducing what they offered.
People at Feel Good Factor said that more reliable public transport which gave them access to different parts of the city (and the free bus which used to circulate around the city centre) would help them improve their health and wellbeing, as would being able to use bus passes before 9.30am. They said they loved getting outdoors, but they worried about slipping on leaves.
