Yorkshire Charity Unveils New Mural To Promote Mobility And Companionship

Yorkshire-based charity Move Mates has partnered with Wesleyan Financial Services and Global Street Art to create a new mural outside Leeds train station encouraging people to get outside for a walk more regularly.

Move Mates pairs adults of all ages across Leeds, York and Durham with their trained local volunteers to meet regularly for a walk, providing motivation and company to enable people to become more active and less isolated. These regular walks boost peoples’ confidence, reduce anxiety and improve physical and mental health outcomes.

The charity has unveiled a 90 square metre (6m wide and 15m tall) artwork on Wesleyan’s Aireside House office on Woodhouse Square to highlight the benefits of getting outside and raise awareness of Move Mates’ work.

The display space on the side of Aireside House is regularly dedicated to artworks from charities chosen by the Wesleyan Foundation as part of its commitment to supporting organisations that create brighter futures for their local communities. Since 2017, the Wesleyan Foundation has awarded over £5.9 million to deserving causes across the UK.

Elaine Barrow, Move Mates Leeds Project Manager, said:
“This is a fantastic opportunity to get the word out about what we do – helping to get people walking again! We want to say a huge thank you to Wesleyan Foundation for choosing our charity and to Global Street Art for their creativity and expertise.”

Mitch Spencer, Property Asset Manager at Wesleyan Financial Services, said:
“We’re all aware of how important exercise and getting out in the fresh air is for our health and wellbeing, and for the majority of us, taking a walk is something we take for granted. Move Mates helps to make it a reality for everyone, and we’re incredibly privileged to be able to offer our support to help raise awareness of such a fantastic charity.”

Phil Hulme, Head of Development at Global Street Art, said:
“Global Street Art’s project with Move Mates is evidence of our dedication to the communities we’re a part of and that matter so much to us. Our human-powered, hand-painted advertising enables us to create murals that resonate with local people, projects and causes.”