"It's not about telling people to eat better, stop smoking or get on the treadmill"

This chapter describes an example of a collaborative embedded research project, to develop a community-led, place-based approach to address childhood obesity. It draws on the perspectives of staff from the voluntary and community sector, local government and academia who were involved in the project. Complex public health issues, childhood obesity, require whole system approaches developed and delivered by multi-agency partnerships, including statutory and voluntary organisations, schools, health services and local communities working together, with evaluation built in. Understanding the context enabled the researcher to use soft negotiation skills and share learning more effectively with Council colleagues, who were facing a period of organisational uncertainty. The findings contribute to a growing body of research on the role of place in offering opportunities for active engagement, social connection and community participation that are supportive of local communities and involve communities themselves. Creating health enhancing environments requires system-wide change, an inclusive, holistic, non-judgemental approach and community focused organisational ethos with robust, visionary leadership.