A new arrival is due at Wakefield’s Kirkgate Station

Grand Central Rail has purchased a new painting from its charity partner Centrepoint for display at Wakefield Kirkgate

Heart On Her Skin, by artist Andrea Tyrimos, is a stunning audio-visual portrait of ex-Centrepoint resident Catherine, whom the charity helped to escape an abusive lifestyle, and her continuing struggle with mental health problems.

Grand Central provided the travel tickets to allow Catherine to sit for the portrait and to see the final result at Andrea’s exhibition, Bipolar Picasso, in London earlier this year.

The rail company has now purchased the piece, which will be unveiled at the Piece Hall on 14 June, where it will remain on show until Monday 17 June. It will then be on permanent display at Wakefield Kirkgate Station.

Centrepoint provides housing and support for young people in London, Manchester, Yorkshire and the North East and through partnerships all over the UK. Its overall goal is to enable young people to live independently by building young people’s confidence, improving their health and providing training.

“The experience did feel a bit strange,” said Catherine, of the portrait process, “but I knew it was for a cause so close to me and the other young people that desperately need help, support and guidance that I once needed. It was emotional and sometimes hearing everything back can be quite difficult but also motivational as I can see how far I have progressed.”

“Buying the painting is a natural extension of partnership with Centrepoint,” says Grand Central’s chief operating officer Sean English, “and it’s even more exciting for us being able to join up with our other partners – a long-held vision of ours. The Piece Hall is the perfect location for unveiling the painting and housing it at Wakefield Kirkgate means that many more people will continue to be inspired by Catherine’s story.”

“The support of both Andrea and Grand Central Rail was critical in enabling Catherine to be a part of this project,” says Chloe Sykes, Yorkshire senior fundraising officer for Centrepoint, “We hope that this very powerful piece will highlight the impact homelessness can have on the mental health of young people and demonstrate to rail users from across the country how vital Centrepoint’s unique support is.”