Leeds Council up for public service prize for work boosting physical activity during the pandemic

Leeds City Council has been shortlisted for a public service prize for its work boosting physical activity in the city during the pandemic.
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The authority is up for an Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) award, which celebrates the achievements of councils across the UK.

Leeds has been nominated with five other local authorities in the Best Service Team: Sports, Leisure and Cultural Service category 2021.

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It's in recognition of the council's work to implement a wide-range of service changes and innovations to help people in the city stay active despite the challenges of coronavirus.

Leeds Council has been nominated for its service changes and innovations to help people in the city stay active during the pandemicLeeds Council has been nominated for its service changes and innovations to help people in the city stay active during the pandemic
Leeds Council has been nominated for its service changes and innovations to help people in the city stay active during the pandemic

This includes launching a Healthy At Home website just four days after the first lockdown, providing residents with information, tips and videos on how to stay active and connected.

The council also introduced a new Active Leeds online livestreaming and on-demand activity programme, as well as play toolboxes which were distributed to residents to increase participation in physical activity.

More than 100 of the council's leisure staff were redeployed into other service areas to meet the response to the pandemic, while more than 30,000 telephone calls were made to vulnerable people to make sure they had the help they needed.

The winners of the award will be revealed today.

Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for public health and active lifestylesCouncillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for public health and active lifestyles
Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for public health and active lifestyles
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Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for public health and active lifestyles said: "As a council we have worked tirelessly to tackle the many challenges that we’ve faced through coronavirus, and I am very proud therefore that our Active Leeds team have been shortlisted for an APSE public sector award, which is richly deserved.

“Trying to find new ways that we could encourage residents to continue to keep active and healthy, physically and mentally, during each lockdown was one of our key aims.

"The innovation and hard work shown by our team to ensure that options were available for residents to access information and classes online was tremendous and proved to be a real success.

"Being shortlisted for this prize is testament to their commitment and dedication in unprecedented times, and I would like to thank every person who played their part.”

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