York-based charity Move the Masses has released its Impact Report for 2019-20.

Move the Masses promote the locations of outdoor exercise equipment and host free, pop-up fitness sessions to get people moving. They organise filmed workout sessions and create short exercise demonstration videos. By attending their sessions or using their online videos, anyone can do accessible, fun, workouts local to them for free. Last year they delivered 65 sessions to a total of 237 attendees.

They also have a Move Mates project that pairs people with one of their trained, friendly, local volunteers to meet regularly for a walk. These regular walks boost people’s confidence as well as improving physical and mental health outcomes. Last year the number of walks tripled to over 300, with 298 hours of volunteer time provided!

And throughout Covid, Move the Masses really stepped up, diversifying their offer whilst still utilising this huge volume of volunteer energy – delivering over 7,000 prescriptions to vulnerable members of the community, clocking up over 1,000 hours of volunteer time, and doubling the amount of volunteers.

Chair of Trustees Nick Griffin said:

As we all continue to adapt to the changing world in which we now find ourselves, it is encouraging to know that Move the Masses will be helping us all to move more, connect more, give more through volunteering and improve wellbeing at the very time we need it the most.

Chief Executive Egg Cameron said:

An enormous part of this success is down to our truly brilliant volunteers; they inspire us with their stories; they give us valuable feedback which enables us to implement positive change and, most importantly, their actions help people.

Read the Impact Report below: