Partnership
Supporting the third sector
Partnership
Supporting the third sector
Northern Man Festival 2025 #NMF25 – Review
Connections made and celebrations had at NMF 2025
Across 18 vibrant events Northern Man Festival 2025 saw 3,500 attendees and countless valuable connections.
Our huge thanks go out to every single person who attended and special gratitude to the National Lottery Partnerships Fund for their invaluable support.
Thanks also to all those who put on supported events and to Space2 for coordinating NMF25 on behalf of Men’s Health Unlocked.
Read more about the week on the Space2 NMF 25 page!
NMF25 is coordinated by Space2 and funded by the Lottery Partnerships Fund.
2025 Schedule
Friday 6
8 mile walk in our local countryside, accessible by public transport – meet at Leeds Train station at Boots at 10am. Call Joe at Touchstone beforehand to take part. All details about the walk can be found here on TicketSource.
Saturday 7
MHU Stall and Men’s Health Strategy Consultation – 10.30 AM to 3 PM
White Rose Centre, Sainsbury’s entrance.
Sunday 8
Dadtastic Day – 10 AM to 3 PM
Leeds City Museum and Millenium Square – for dads and families to share a special day of fun, laughing, learning and making memories together!
Monday 9
Manthology – Poetry Workshop – 11.30 AM to 1.30 PM
Leeds City Library, 18 Commercial Street, LS16AL (NOT Leeds Central Library)
Free and open to all men, no booking required just turn up! Join Leeds-based writer and broadcaster, Peter Spafford as he shares techniques for creating your own poems. This is the perfect space to try new ways of getting pen to paper. Opportunity for poems to be added to Manthology collection.
Men’s MOT – 11 AM to 2 PM
Compton Centre – Pop up Men’s MOT health checks and information – free, just turn up.
Tuesday 10
NMF 25 Snooker Morning (55+) – 10 AM to 12 noon
Northern Snooker Centre, LS3 1LT – Men’s groups more than welcome, and individuals, too.
Sign up using this Northern Man Fest Event registration form – Snooker, Football, Parkrun.
GIPSIL Music Event – Eats and Beats – 4:30 PM to 7 PM
Archway, LS8 5AQ – Come down, play and listen to music. Enjoy our space – games, chat, snacks and music – connect and celebrate with us.
Wednesday 11
Free Leeds Rhino’s Stadium Tour For men with disabilities – 10.30 AM
Meeting point: The Original Oak, Otley Road, Headingley, LS6 2DG. Free breakfast sandwich and drink, then on to Headingley Stadium for a tour with Leeds Rhino’s. Open to men only as part of Northern Man Festival. We are an inclusive travel project, please use public transport to attend if possible. To reserve your space please contact Tracy on 07542076237 or email tracy@opforum.org.uk.
Menspeak Online Men’s Group
A free mini-men’s group where men check-in with their names, how they feel right now and anything that’s up for them. It’s non-clinical, non-hierarchical and men learn from one another’s experiences. We hang out, be heard and get real with what’s going on in our lives. Emotional regulation / social health.
Thursday 12
NMF Windrush Dominoes Tournament – 1 to 3.30 PM
The Community Wellbeing Hub, Reginald Terrace, LS73EZ – celebrating Windrush Day and connecting men 60+. Sign up to play – contact the Hub on 0113 378 4892.
Friday 13
Market day – NMF 25 EXTRAVAGANZA!
Leeds Kirkgate Market, LS2 7HY – Showing the many sides and talents of men – Art, Music, Dance, Poetry, Stalls with information, creativity, connection and celebration of men and men’s health.
Playhouse Photo Exhibition
Leeds Playhouse, LS2 7UP – Men Through The Lens exhibition by Space2. Local men using photography to express themselves and be creative, sharing stories that signify meaningful and personal aspects of their lives.
Walking Football Match – 10 AM to 12 noon
Broad Lane, Bramley (above Black Lion pub) – A walking football match for men of any age. All abilities welcome (just don’t run!) and free refreshments on the day to all participants. To register, email: contact@yourbackyard.co.uk
Open Mic Night – 7 PM to 9 PM
Flamingoes Coffee House, Central Arcade, LS1 6DX – Cake, coffee, mocktails available – book to attend or get in touch for a slot to perform on flamingoscoffeehouse.co.uk
Saturday 14
Woodhouse Moor Parkrun – Arrive by 8:50am for the 9am start.
Free MHU tote bag for everyone who runs in recognition of Men’s Health Week! You must first register with Parkrun (parkrun.org.uk) Then use our event form to let us know you are running under our banner – Sign up using this Northern Man Fest Event registration form – Snooker, Football, Parkrun.
NMF Football Tournament – 11 AM to 1.30 PM
PowerLeague, Wellington Bridge St, LS3 1LW – Dementia Awareness event.
Sign up using this Northern Man Fest Event registration form – Snooker, Football, Parkrun. (Register a team or as yourself to join a scratch team).
Sunday 15
Happy Father’s Day!
Add your activity
Click here to add your own activity to the NMF programme.
Contact
For more information about any of the events please contact the venue organisations, or you can contact:
- Lawrence Glyn, Space2 Community Development Worker, Men’s Health Unlocked – Orion Co-ordinator, on 07784 951318 or email lawrenceg@space2.org.uk.
- Damian Dawtry, Men’s Health Unlocked Coordinator, on 07985 442630 or email damian.dawtry@forumcentral.org.uk.
About Northern Man Festival
Northern Man Festival is coordinated by Space2 and brought to you by Men’s Health Unlocked (MHU), the Leeds-based network for anyone supporting men’s health and wellbeing in Leeds.
For more information or to get involved in Men’s Health Unlocked, visit our webpage: ForumCentral.org.uk/MHU. You can read more background about NMF on Space2’s website.
The Northern Man Festival is a celebration of the shared work and interconnectivity that has been achieved in the past few years in Leeds. The festival aims to highlight the range of wonderful creative, fun, and important activities and events that are run by organisations who are part of the MHU network.
The festival coincides with Men’s Health Week which is recognised nationally and takes place in the second week of June.
Promotional Materials
Help us spread the word about Northern Man Festival in Leeds.
Tell you friends, family and colleagues – mark it in your calendar and make plans to come along!
View and download the programme of activities poster
On Social Media
You can join and share the Facebook Event for NMF 2025 (https://fb.me/e/1OlMnKBbn6)
Please like and share our posts on:
- BlueSky
Downloadable Assets
- NMF25 logos gdrive folder
- NMF25 Events Flyer / Poster
- Email signature image (make sure to include a link to this page if you use this in your signature)
