Move the Masses
Move the Masses aim is to give people access to physical activity in their local open spaces. Our mission is to reduce the barriers that people face and to enable everyone to get moving. We currently run free pop-up workouts run by volunteer Move Champions and also pay-it-forward, Peg-It fitness sessions where you can walk, run or cycle to explore the city whilst completing mini workouts in different areas. In addition, we run a third project, Move Mates which sees volunteer walking buddies paired up with people who don’t have the confidence to get out of their own home. We give people the confidence and support they need to improve their physical health through walking whilst offering all the great mental health benefits of having some regular company too.

- Updated:
- 30 July 2019
- Location:
- Yorkshire and Humber
- Sectors:
- Voluntary
- Local Alliances:
- York Dementia Action Alliance
1. Action Plan
1. The National Dementia Declaration lists seven outcomes that the DAA are seeking to achieve for people with dementia and their carers. How would you describe your organisation’s role in delivering better outcomes for people with dementia and their carers?
Move the Masses aims to bring the community together by encouraging people to help other people to be more active and to reduce social isolation. We are therefore, ideally placed to support people living with dementia and their families to live well. In addition to directly helping people through our Move Mates project, we offer all our Move Mates the opportunity to become a Dementia Friend. This increases awareness of dementia and reduces the stigma associated with it for people across York and not just the direct beneficiaries of our projects. We also work closely in partnership with local dementia organisations and seek to work collaboratively to make York a great place for people with dementia to live.
2. What are the challenges to delivering these outcomes from the perspective of your organisation?
As a relatively new and small organisation we are have limited capacity and sometimes conflicting priorities.
Member website
www.movethemasses.org.uk2. Actions
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Dementia Friends sessions
We recently offered all our Move Mate volunteers the opportunity to attend a Dementia Friends session. We will continue to do this on an annual basis and more often where needed. We will also continue to be aware of how many people with dementia are using our service and the level of understanding of our volunteers, providing more training if necessary.
- Status:
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Inclusive services for people living with dementia
Our Pop-up sessions are designed to be accessible for all abilities and ages. They bring people together and we work to advertise them widely so that as many people know about them as possible. Our Move Mates project is also for anyone who wants to get out of the house for a walk, regardless of ability. We work hard to find the best match for volunteers and people, meaning that any specific needs of people living with dementia are well met by their Move Mate.
- Status:
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Working in partnership with YDAA
Move the Masses works closely with a number of organisations and aims to work collaboratively in everything we do. For example, we are currently working with the Dog Café to provide Move Mates to walk people there and back. We would like to work more closely in partnership with YDAA, supporting its aims and contributing to making York a great place for people with dementia to live
- Status: