May is National Walking Month, so here at Wellington Place offered free guided lunchtime walks across different areas of the city for Wellington Place occupiers throughout the month. Not only is walking a great stress-buster but also getting out of the office on your lunch break will clear your mind and increase your productivity.
We caught up with occupier Liz Payiatis, from HMRC – to find out more about her walking experiences.
Historical interest
Liz said: “I’ve had an interest in Wellington Place long before I heard that the Leeds Regional Centre would be located there. The generous provision of deck chairs by Wellington Place for occupiers to use on sunny days was what first attracted my attention. As I also have an interest in local history, I found it fascinating that the old Lifting Tower was being integrated into the development. Wellington Place was once the location of the Central Station in Leeds and I remember as a small child being placed on a steam locomotive plate by my dad to see the boiler being stoked up with coal.”
Guiding walks
Liz continued: “CityConnect, which is one of the many projects supporting improvements to sustainable and active travel, began to offer guided walks around Leeds on behalf of Wellington Place. I went on to do a course with them, to become a guide and since then I’ve been hosting my own walks around the development. These get colleagues away from their desks and enjoying the fresh air, making them more productive as a result when they head back to the office.”
Leeds features
Liz concluded: “My routes change regularly and depend on what building work is happening within the city.
“Most walks include the Leeds-Liverpool canal and locks, the Italianate towers of Tower Works, and Marshall’s Mill, famous for its Egyptian Temple buildings and roof-grazing sheep.
“I’ve led dozens of walks for many different groups of people. Demand became so great that eventually I had to enlist two further people to support and assist. When 3 Wellington Place opened and further requests for tours were made, I introduced a few colleagues to the development and also to the joys of leading their own tours. This means we’re able to offer new routes taking in the Waterways, the Civic Quarter and Southbank.”
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