Graffiti for a great cause

Tekake William (left) and mentor Mike Kemps. Photo / Sarah Ivey

A Christian-based youth mentoring group is using graffiti art to appeal for more volunteers to work with young people in danger of going off the rails.

Brothers in Arms, which provides mentors for youngsters referred from police and other agencies, employed Mangere-based graffiti artists FDKNS to paint a giant mural on the fence of the Avondale Racecourse yesterday with the words "Help me".

Tekake William, a 15-year-old who has been mentored by the group for the past 18 months, said the graffiti art was different from "tagging".

"I don't do tagging. I do bombing," he said.

His mentor Mike Kemps, 26, said "bombing" was legal artwork.

Like other mentors, Mr Kemps committed to see Tekake regularly for at least a year.

Tekake has recently joined the Army cadets and aims to join the Navy.

Brothers in Arms manager Wade McMillan said the group needed mentors aged 18-plus. "Most are under 30 but we have some in their thirties and forties."