A Busy Start to 2026! 🌪️
February has been a busy and energising month for NEU, filled with conversations, learning, and meaningful steps forward. It has been a month where ideas have continued to turn into action, and where relationships, learning, and collaboration have played a central role in shaping what comes next.
It Started With Some Public Speaking! 🎤
We began the month with a successful Business Brunch hosted by LCB Depot, where we had the opportunity to speak to an audience of over 50 local business owners, managers, and leaders about wellbeing in the workplace.
The session opened up honest conversations around the real pressures facing organisations, the impact of poor wellbeing on people and performance, and the need for approaches that are practical, human, and sustainable.
It was encouraging to see such strong engagement and a shared appetite for moving beyond wellbeing as a tick-box exercise and towards creating healthier workplace cultures that genuinely support people.
In A Neighbourhood Near You! 💼
February has also involved continued conversations behind the scenes. We have been engaged in positive and ongoing discussions with Public Health Leicester, alongside exploratory conversations with other potential funding streams.
These discussions are centred around future investment opportunities and how NEU’s work can continue to grow in a way that is sustainable, impactful, and aligned with wider public health priorities.
It has been encouraging to see shared values around prevention, early intervention, and the importance of embedding wellbeing into everyday systems rather than treating it as an afterthought.
We’re Official! 🏵️
Alongside our external work, we also invested time in strengthening our own skills and knowledge. We spent two days at Leicestershire County Council HQ completing a Mental Health First Aid training course.
The training provided valuable insight into recognising early signs of mental health challenges, understanding how to offer appropriate support, and knowing when and how to signpost effectively. A special thank you goes to Madeleine, who facilitated the course with professionalism, warmth, and a strong focus on practical application.
The learning from this experience will directly inform how we support individuals, teams, and organisations moving forward.
One thing I’ve been reminded of recently is that getting out of the door is often the hardest part. Not the run itself, not the distance, not the pace — just making the decision to start.
You’ll see an image alongside this from my very first run after coming out of prison. At the time, that was all I had in me — and that’s okay. That run wasn’t about speed or distance; it was my baseline. A starting point, not a judgement. What matters is what happened next. By January, that same starting point had grown into 100 kilometres run across the month. Not because I suddenly became fast or fearless, but because I kept showing up, one run at a time, even on the days when motivation was low. If you’re thinking about starting something similar, here’s the message I wish I’d heard sooner: starting is enough. If you walk, that counts. If you jog for 30 seconds and walk the rest, that’s still progress. Movement is movement, and consistency beats perfection every time.
So if this is your sign to begin — take it. Lace up, step outside, and see what happens. You don’t have to be fast. You just have to start.
Overall, February has reinforced the importance of showing up, listening, learning, and building strong partnerships. Progress often happens through steady, consistent steps rather than quick fixes, and this month has felt like a solid foundation for the work ahead. As we move into the next phase, we remain focused on creating positive, practical wellbeing support that makes a real difference for individuals, workplaces, and communities.
