Welcome to the Exeter Kindness
fundraising initiative
A local movement for a kinder city
Exeter Kindness began with a mural — but it’s grown into something much more. On the side of the Crossline building near the city centre, local artist Paul Colsell recreated a beloved illustration by Charley Mackesy with a simple, powerful message: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” “Kind,” said the boy.
The mural is a tribute to the power of kindness – a virtue we believe can change lives.
Through the generosity of our community, the mural was crowdfunded, the wall restored, and now it stands as a daily reminder to care for one another. But the Exeter Kindness project didn’t stop there. Paul has since participated in the ‘Let’s Chalk About Mental Health’ event with an illustration that reads: “What’s your best discovery?” asked the mole. “That I’m enough as I am”.
He has also completed a mural at St Peter’s School challenging the students to be kind.
With the support of Kondanani UK, a registered charity, Exeter Kindness continues to raise funds for vital local initiatives — including the Crossline soup kitchen, which serves hot meals to those who are homeless or in crisis, right beneath the Exeter Kindness mural itself. We also support the ongoing work of Kondanani Children’s Village in Malawi, caring for orphaned children through homes, education, and healthcare.
Together, we’re creating ripples of kindness throughout Exeter and beyond. Please continue supporting us with your donation of any amount.
KINDNESS! LET'S MAKE IT HAPPEN
Let's share the stories of kind people in our city and raise funds for charity. Be part of celebrating generosity in Exeter.
Let's share the stories of kind people in our city and raise funds for charity. Be part of celebrating generosity in Exeter.
ABOUT
EXETER KINDNESS
Designed by Paul Colsell our logo represents the people of our city putting their arms around those who need support from our local soup kitchen to orphaned children in Africa. The Exeter Kindness fundraising initiative is a project of Kondanani UK in collaboration with other local charities/ organisations.
ABOUT
PAUL COLSELL
Paul Colsell is a veteran artist who has worked in media all his life. He braved 10m scaffolding on the Exeter Crossline Building to create the Exeter Kindness mural an iconic illustration that shares a message of generosity to passers by.
ABOUT
CHARLIE MACKESY
Charlie Mackesy is the author and illustrator of the best selling book, ‘The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse’. The Animated Story was aired on BBC over Christimas. Charlie kindly granted us permission to reproduce one of his best known illustrations and the mural is now one of the largest reproductions of his work in the world to date.
WHO WILL BENEFIT
Funds raised via the Exeter Kindness mural are being distributed amongst the following charities:
- THE CROSSLINE TRUST
The mural is situated on the gable wall of the Crossline Building, easily visible from our new bus station. The building is owned by the Crossline Trust, a listed building that has benefitted from the renovation of the wall. - CHARITIES IN THE BUILDING
The Exeter Soup Kitchen is housed in the basement of the building and is run by five organisations who oversee a day of the week. We are raising funds to support this community service. - KONDANANI UK is a national charity based in Exeter that exists to relieve the distress of persons who are in conditions of need or hardship, or who are aged or sick. This includes Kondanani Children’s Village and Paediatic Hospital in Malawi.
MEET THE TEAM
From left to right, Betty & Paul Colsell, Harry Colsell, Tim Davies, Al Gibson, Jeanine Rose-Gibson and Gwenllian Riall. The photo was taken at Crossline in the basement of the building, which feeds homeless people most days of the week. We continue to raise funds to assist people in need in our city.
READ AL GIBSON's
INTERVIEW WITH PAUL COLSELL
Veteran artist, Paul Colsell, has painted many large-scale murals over the years. He now wants to conclude his career by reproducing the largest Charlie Mackesy illustration ever, in a high-traffic part of Exeter city centre to share a message of kindness. Local business journalist, Al Gibson, spoke to him about this exciting project. Click to read.
Support the Exeter Kindness Project. All donations will go towards supporting charities in the building and give a gift to orphaned children in Africa
GET INVOLVED
HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE
SHARE THE WORD
Tell others about this fundraising initiatve and follow us on our social platforms.
The Exeter Kindness Mural is a project of Kondanani UK
(Charity no: 1113426) an Exeter based charity that exists to support an orphanage in Africa as well as to relieve persons who are in conditions of need, hardship, or who are aged or sick in the UK.
JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
Stay up to date with the Exeter Kindness fundraising initiative. We will share occassional email updates with you.
This website is sponsored by Countdown Creative Ltd, a content creation agency based in Exeter. It is led by Al Gibson, who handles communications for Exeter Kindness. Countdown specialises in web copy and original SEO blogs based on journalistic interviews.