Social Justice, Advocacy & Campaigning with Youth Parliament Member Eva Woods

In this week's episode, Han is joined by Eva Woods. Eva is a Member of the Youth Parliament for Peterborough, representing young people aged 11-18 in the city. Eva has personal experience with disordered eating, and as part of her campaign is redesigning the teaching provided around eating disorders.

During Eva's first year, she campaigned on issues including universal access to free school meals, the engagement of first-time voters and sexual harassment in schools, an issue linked centrally to the development of my own eating disorder.

In this week's episode, we discuss:

  • Eva's experience of working as a youth member of parliament, and how she became interested in politics and working for the Peterborough council.

  • The presence of sexual harassment in schools and the reasons Eva chose this to be a key part of her manifesto and why she is working to reduce sexual harassment in schools.

  • The need for an improved curriculum around eating disorders in school, and how increasing a sense of self and identity could help to reduce the onset and prevalence of eating disorders.

  • The role and responsibility of adults working with school-aged children in recognising and responding to mental health conditions e.g. eating disorders. `

  • The importance of advocacy in eating disorders, how this relates to social justice, and the difficulty of advocating for yourself against the eating disorder.

Please note that this podcast discusses eating disorder topics that some individuals may find triggering. Please check in with yourself along the way, and remember this is not a replacement for clinical support and advice.

To find out more about Eva and her campaign work, you can follow her on Twitter @evawoodsmyp or email at Eva.Woods@peterborough.gov.uk.

Recent Posts

The Normalisation of Amenorrhea and RED-S in Female Athletes
By Hannah Hickinbotham July 20, 2025
Learn what RED-S and amenorrhea are, why they are common but often dismissed in sport, and how coaches and athletes can provide better support.
Exploring the Relationship Between ADHD and Disordered Eating with Kate Moryoussef
By Hannah Hickinbotham July 14, 2025
Discover how ADHD can contribute to disordered eating and explore neuroaffirming tips to support the development of a healthy relationship with food and exercise.
By Hannah Hickinbotham July 8, 2025
Lesley and Neal Davison share their daughter Megan’s tragic death from type 1 diabetes with disordered eating, the warning signs of T1DE, and why integrated care must be the future.
The Comfort Blanket of Control: Neurodivergence & Eating Disorders
By Hannah Hickinbotham July 8, 2025
Discover how undiagnosed autism and ADHD often intersect with eating disorders, and why better diagnostic understanding is crucial.
Dietetics Beyond the Meal Plan:  A Trauma-Informed Nutritional Approach to Eating Disorder Recovery
By Hannah Hickinbotham June 16, 2025
Exploring an eating disorder dietitians role beyond a meal plan.
From Silent Struggles with Bulimia to Supporting Others
By Hannah Hickinbotham June 16, 2025
Discover Daniel Magson's powerful journey through bulimia, stigma, and secrecy, and how he turned lived experience into a mission to support others.
Show More