STUDENTS will be recruited to lead regular group walks in York to bring together different generations and tackle isolation.

The new social walking project by York-based charity Move the Masses aims to boost the mental and physical health of isolated and vulnerable people.

It has won support from Olympian Homes, the development company looking to regenerate the former Mecca bingo site on Fishergate into student accommodation.

York Press:

The changing face of Fishergate and the Mecca bingo hall building, with the new plans by Olympian Homes pictured at the bottom.

The project aims to work with a student intern to develop a new walk leader training programme and recruit ten walk leaders.

Organisers want to recruit volunteers from younger age groups to improve intergenerational relationships, and create a legacy project which will provide group walks across the city.

Olympian Homes has provided funding for the charity, which works to improve people's wellbeing through physical activity, to recruit an intern from the University of York, who will create the materials, develop the programme, and recruit other students as volunteers.

Egg Cameron, chief executive of Move the Masses, said: “The support of Olympian Homes is really appreciated and will allow us to deliver this programme and encourage as many people as possible to take part.

"|The mental and physical benefits of regular social walking are enormous and the initiative will also foster better relations between different generations.

"We want to tap into the enthusiasm of students to make this a big success.”

George Downes, from Olympian Homes, said: “Since we started to develop our plans for the former Mecca site, we have been keen to get involved with the local community and supporting this programme is a great way to enable this really positive project that will have major health and social benefits to many people in York.”

A planning application has been submitted to transform the old Mecca Bingo Hall, which shut down earlier this year, into a new, high-quality student community which includes a variety of rooms, social space and landscaped grounds.

Move the Masses was founded in 2018 and has been helping people in York to improve their wellbeing through movement. Its walking buddy project, Move Mates, has provided one-to-one walking support for more than 190 people.

The partnership has been facilitated by local social enterprise Social Vision.