FAQs

Who runs Leeds Mobile?
Leeds Mobile is run by a team of volunteers, including Luke Stringer, Stephen Ingham, Victoria Chan, Adam Al-Jidy, and Adam Derradji. We are all passionate about the mobile tech scene in Leeds and love bringing people together. To spot who we are at events, just look out for us wearing our green Leeds Mobile t-shirts.

How long have you been running events? 

We started our community way back in September 2023. Since then, we have hosted dozens of events (hitting 22 events by our second birthday), published loads of talks on YouTube, and grown a fantastic community of mobile engineers, designers, and product folks.

How is Leeds Mobile associated with Google Developer Groups?
Leeds Mobile is the official Leeds Chapter of the Google Developer Groups (GDG) community. As part of this global network, we host official 'Google I/O Extended' events, which Google supports and promotes alongside other tech communities globally to coincide with the main Google I/O keynote. We also regularly welcome Google Developer Experts (GDEs) to our stage.

Do you have public liability insurance?
Yes, we do. We hold public liability insurance to cover all of our in-person events and ensure peace of mind for our attendees and host venues.

Where can I follow Leeds Mobile online?
You can keep up to date with everything we are doing and join the conversation across our different platforms:

• Website

• Meetup

• LinkedIn

• YouTube

• Google Developer Groups

• Discord 

What sort of events do you run?
A real mix. You can expect technical deep dives covering iOS, Android, Flutter, and cross-platform tech. We also regularly host product strategy talks, UX/UI design sessions, career development workshops, and plenty of relaxed networking with free food and drinks.

I'm not a developer. Can I still attend?
Absolutely! While many of our talks are technical, we have plenty of members who are designers, product managers, QA engineers, students, and people who are simply curious about the event topic. We have hosted career-focused and product strategy talks that appeal to a wide audience. Plus, the networking and pizza are for everyone.

How do I find out about future events?
The best way is to join our Meetup page, where all our official RSVPs are handled. You should also join the #announcements channel on our Discord server, and keep an eye on our LinkedIn posts for the latest updates.

When are your events?
We run one event each month, on either a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday evening.

When do your events start and finish?
Our doors usually open between 17:30 and 18:00. We always kick off with food and networking for the first 30 to 40 minutes before the main talk begins. The official event wraps up around 19:00 or 19:30, but there is almost always an optional trip to a nearby pub afterwards to keep the conversations going.

Where are your events?
We like to move around to showcase different brilliant businesses across Leeds. Past hosts have included AND Digital, Lloyds Banking Group, Genio, Doza Consulting, NatWest Accelerator, Enablis, hedgehog lab, Answer Digital, Hippo Digital, Burendo, Flutter, Sky, and Parallax.

I'm lost and cannot find the venue. Help!
Because we move to a different venue each month, the best first step is to double-check the exact address and map on our specific Meetup event page. If you are nearby but still struggling to find the entrance, drop a quick message in the ⁠#general  Discord channel, or message one of the organisers on here. We'll keep a close eye on Discord and send help ASAP!

What food do you serve? Can you cater for my dietary needs?
Pizza is a Leeds Mobile staple. Most months, we order a big stack of pizzas for everyone to share. Sometimes we like to mix things up though - recently we had some absolutely delicious dishes from Wheely Good Indian. We always make sure to provide vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options, so just let us know your requirements when you RSVP.

I have accessibility requirements. Can I still attend?
Absolutely. We want our events to be as inclusive and welcoming as possible. Because we rotate venues, accessibility can occasionally vary, but we always strive to use fully accessible spaces. Just let us know your requirements when you RSVP on Meetup, or drop us a message beforehand, and we will make sure everything is sorted for you.

How can I enter a future giveaway?
We love a good giveaway. We've previously given away Claude Pro subscriptions, limited edition Leeds Mobile t-shirts, and even conference tickets. To enter, simply grab a free raffle ticket from one of the organisers when you arrive at the venue. We will just ask you a quick question about where you heard about the event, and then we will draw the winning ticket live at the end of the night.

Will you stream your next event?
At the moment, our events are in-person only. A huge part of Leeds Mobile is the community feel, the networking, and the shared food and drinks. However, if you can't make it on the night, we do record the majority of our talks and upload them to our YouTube channel afterwards. 

What sort of events have you run in the past?
We have run a huge variety of sessions. Past events include deep technical talks on things like Visual Regression Testing in Flutter, Apple Vision Pro, mobile accessibility, managing SwiftData bugs, and building paywall infrastructure. We've also had brilliant career-focused sessions on transitioning from teaching to tech consulting, hands-on coding workshops, and big panel discussions for WWDC and Google I/O.

Where can I see what previous events you've run?
We keep an archive of all our past events and talks so you can easily catch up on anything you missed. You can find a full list of our previous sessions on our website at https://leedsmobile.com/past-talks. We also post all the YouTube recordings and slide decks in the ⁠#previous-talks channel on our Discord server.

Can I access the slides from previous talks?
Yes, we collect the slide decks from all our speakers. You can find links to these on our past talks webpage at https://leedsmobile.com/past-talks, and we also share them in the ⁠#previous-talks channel on our Discord server alongside the video recordings.

When will the recording of the last event be on YouTube?
We try to record as many of our talks as possible. It takes a little bit of time for us to get the footage edited and polished up behind the scenes, so expect the video to drop a few weeks after the event. We will always announce it on LinkedIn and drop the link in the #previous-talks channel on Discord when it is ready. 

How can I submit a talk or event idea for the future?
We would love to hear your ideas. Please contact the organisers directly, either on Discord, LinkedIn, or by chatting to us in person at a meetup.

I’m nervous about public speaking. Can you make any accommodations for that?
100%. We are a super supportive community and love giving first-time speakers a platform. If a full 45-minute talk feels too much, we can arrange shorter lightning talks, panel discussions, or have you co-speak with someone else. We even run workshops specifically designed to build your confidence.

How can I host a future event?
We are always on the lookout for great new venues in Leeds. If your company has an event space and would like to host us for an evening, please send a message to one of the organisers on LinkedIn or Discord.

How can I sponsor the meetup?
Our events wouldn't be possible without our amazing supporters and partners. If you are interested in sponsoring food, drinks, or a giveaway, get in touch with us directly. We’d be happy to speak to you about a tailored partnership package.

I have some feedback about a previous event / an idea for improving future events. How can I submit this?
We would love to hear your ideas. You can submit them using our feedback form at https://leeds.mobile/feedback. We also always encourage people to speak to us directly at a meetup or message us on Discord.

Where do I ask questions for the speaker?
We always have a Q&A session at the end of each talk during our in-person events. If you think of a great question after you've gone home, you can jump into our official Discord server and ask it there - many of our speakers hang out in the community.

I’m looking for a new job. Can you offer any advice on my search?
Definitely. Head straight over to the ⁠#job-opportunities channel on our Discord server to see who is hiring or to share what you are looking for. Our in-person meetups are also a fantastic place to network with local tech recruiters and hiring managers.

Do you know anyone who has expertise in a specific subject?
Chances are, someone in our community does. The best way to find out is to ask in the ⁠#general or ⁠#of-topic  channels on Discord, or just come along to the next event and start chatting with people over a slice of pizza.

I am concerned about something I have seen at an event or on Discord. What should I do?
We want Leeds Mobile to be a safe, inclusive, and welcoming space for everyone. If you see or experience anything concerning, please let an organiser know straight away. You can speak to Luke, Stephen, Victoria, Adam A, or Adam D in person at an event, or send us a private message on Discord or LinkedIn. We take all concerns seriously and will handle them with strict confidentiality.