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Volunteers who patrol Leeds city centre to help keep revellers safe will be out on the streets later for the first of two ‘Mad Friday’ nights. Mad Friday, typically the last working day before Christmas, is a popular night for office Christmas parties and an opportunity to celebrate the end of the working year. But with Christmas Day falling on a Monday this year, many pubs and clubs are planning for an influx of people on both December 15 and December 22. While the festivities are generally good natured, the emergency services and other support organisations usually find themselves dealing with a higher number of incidents than on an average Friday night. Leeds Street Angels and Leeds Club Angels volunteers aim to help ease the pressure by offering first aid, walking people to taxis and even providing flip flops for aching feet. Paul Blakey MBE, founder of Street Angels and chief executive of the Christian Nightlife Initiatives Network, said: “Our teams of volunteers do amazing work throughout the year, but Christmas is one of our busiest times. “People who aren’t familiar with town and city centres at night are out on office night’s out and it is easy to become separated from your group or want to call it a night when others want to carry on. “Our teams of Angels will be on hand and available to those who need support such as flip-flops, walking to the taxi, first aid or simply a friendly face to chat with.” The network’s volunteers will be running patrols in around 130 communities nationwide on Mad Friday this year to make sure as many people enjoy a safe night out. Its regular locations in West Yorkshire include in Leeds, Bradford, Dewsbury, Halifax and Huddersfield. Angels spread their wings to cover two Mad Fridays - Media Release:
Two Mad Friday nights this Christmas will see patrol projects such as Street Angels and Club Angels offering double the number of patrols. Mad Friday, typically the last working day before Christmas, is a popular night for office Christmas parties and an opportunity to celebrate the end of the working year. This year, because Christmas Day is on a Monday, pubs and clubs are planning for Mad Friday on both the 15th and 22nd December. As well as extra police and medical support, teams of Street Angels and Club Angels will be on hand in around 130 communities to help revellers have a fun and safe Mad Friday night out. Founder of Street Angels and CEO of CNI (Christian Nightlife Initiatives) Network comments, "Our teams of volunteers do amazing work throughout the year, but Christmas is one of our busiest times. People who aren't familiar with town and city centres at night are out on office night's out and it is easy to become separated from your group or want to call it a night when others want to carry on. Our teams of Angels will be on hand and available to those who need support such as flip-flops, walking to the taxi, first aid or simply a friendly face to chat with." The teams will also be offering SafeNightOut.party advice via social media and posters. The advice includes: Ladies - carry a pair of slip-on shoes in your handbag so that when your high-heels are no longer comfortable you don't need to walk bare-foot. Always stay with your friends, don’t go off alone, have their contact information on you somewhere other than your phone and over a big dinner beforehand try to think about your drinking limits for the night and stick to them! Always eat before a night out – never drink on an empty stomach. Get a takeaway before you go home - don't start cooking once you get home especially in a chip pan! Know what you are drinking so you can know how much you have had. This will also help you and your friends know if you have been spiked because you have kept account of your alcohol intake. Mix alcohol with soft drinks or water and don't leave your drink unattended. Pick a venue right for you – if you feel out of place, leave! Most fights start over something minor – someone knocks you, spills your drink – apologise! Don’t get involved in breaking up a fight – that’s the job of the door-staff! Someone pestering you – try and ignore them and if that doesn’t work ask the bar or door staff to help you. Look out for your friends – make sure they are safe. Keep your taxi money in another part of your handbag/wallet so you don’t spend it. Always sit in the back of a taxi if you’re travelling by yourself. Take a photo of your taxi drivers ID and text it to a friend. For more information on the work of Street and Club Angels visit www.cninetwork.org . -- ends -- Attached: SafeNightOut.party poster designs Christmas Cartoon from CNI Network Source
Revellers are being urged to stay safe in the run-up to Christmas amid fears people are putting themselves at risk by over drinking. It comes as the number of town centre revellers seeking the help of a team of volunteers keeping people safe on a night out has doubled in the past two years. The Street Angels was launched in 2012 in a bid to provide support to those in difficulty or who found themselves a little worse for wear through too much alcohol. Figures show a rise in the number of people seeking their direct assistance on a Saturday night out, from 294 in 2014 to 480 last year. Street Angels co-ordinator June Valente, who is keen to see more people volunteer their time with the cause, said: “Sometimes people are so intoxicated they don’t know where they live. “One of our concerns is vulnerability around girls in particular as we have found them in alleyways. We had one girl a few weeks ago who was underage and wasn’t able to get into a club, but all her friends went in and left her. This was at 1am.” As the festive season begins to take off, Mrs Valente is calling on people to drink responsibly and to ensure they know how they are getting home at the end of the night. And Acting Neighbourhood Inspector Steve Prested said: “The Street Angels play an important role in keeping those enjoying a night out in the town centre safe “Street Angels work very well with the neighbourhood policing teams and are a great asset to the community, ensuring people stay safe and are looked after if they become vulnerable through excess alcohol. The caring presence of the volunteers also frees up officers to concentrate on preventing crime and any disorder. “As revellers have become more aware of the Street Angels and how they can help, it is not surprising that more people are seeking out their help. Police advise anyone planning on heading out over the festive period of the need to stay safe, drink responsibly and ensure they have plans in advance to get home safely at the end of the night. “South Shields is a safe town centre to live and socialise in and we want people to be able to come here and feel safe. To ensure this is the case, we have extra officers out speaking to people and anyone found causing any trouble will be dealt with swiftly and appropriately.” For information on the Street Angels, call 07973470212 or email [email protected].
On 2nd November we gathered in Friars Square to celebrate 5 years of Chaplains and Street Angels in Aylesbury.
This film was made on the night and includes contributions from our supporters, Superintendant Tim Metcalfe of Thames Valley Police, Paul Blakey, CEO of Christian Night-time Initiatives, our staff team and our main speaker, Michael Campbell, Lead Chaplain, Luton Town Centre Chaplaincy and Chair of the Alliance of Town & City Chaplaincies. Volunteers at Leeds Street Angels recently benefitted from free First Aid training provided by British Red Cross for CNI Network linked projects. Visit this page to find out more.
Loving this poem which was the winner of Art UK’s Art Speaks competition. The poem was inspired by Matthew Arnold Bracy Smith’s The Disrobing (Despoiling) of Christ (after El Greco). Jesus Christ Goes Clubbing by Amani Saeed:
I met Jesus at the disco He was on the dance floor getting down with the knight doing the ‘Robot’, red robes brushing chainmail As he walked off to get some air he flicked the cups of the women drinking water at the bar and they shrieked in delight at the Pinot Noir gracing their lips In the bathroom he held back the guitarist’s hair as he puked in the corner cubicle, ignored the two pairs of feet in the stall next door cause he heard a scream from a girl in the smoking section and had bigger worries than two men’s consensual desires, As he made his way outside he was offered a drag but tactfully declined the tiny fires burning the night air, saved the Marys from lecherous grabs, hailed them cabs home, ‘cause he could see the ill intentions of the men lurking And then he saw me He slipped through the crowd gracefully, breaking off bits of his fingers for the drunks to munch on and came to me, hunched by the wall, took my arm And we rushed back inside, surrounded by sinners and he was one of us, scarlet robes rippling to the beat and the whole club hallelujah-d and we were shaking and vibrating with the spirit until a man in green seized his arm and shrieked IT’S HIM And the music stopped and people dropped their drinks and Jesus looked calm as we gathered around him, and he must have known what was about to happen and I’ll never know why I said nothing And I’ll never know how he did it How he told his face to remain serene, kept his gaze raised to the heavens, even with his arms crudely bound by the bouncer, even when surrounded by faces daubed and darkened with hate How did he pray, how did he keep his hand splayed on his chest as they ripped his robes from him, did he feel like a woman? Did he regret? Did he know? The world slowed and all I could see was that one still, the flash of vermillion and his skin burning like gold, the faces like flames unfolding around him, and the disco ball melting and suddenly the air was sweet, we breathed, we swirled around him like a vortex and he was looking up, fingers triumphantly flexed high, and he smiled.
Tom Elliot's JoyRide Podcast this week features Paul Blakey MBE - press play to listen:
Paul Blakey MBE is the founder of Halifax Street Angels, the International CNI Network, author, broadcaster, communicator and popular speaker. Paul and his wife, Jean launched Halifax Street Angels in November 2005 a project which, with the help of an amazing team of volunteers, has made a massive difference in Halifax and over one hundred and thirty towns and cities across the UK and beyond. Street Angels has contributed to a reduction in violent crime and sexual assaults in many of the towns where the scheme operates and has contributed to a national annual reduction in alcohol related violence and A&E admissions. Because of Paul’s contribution to community safety in Calderdale he was awarded a MBE (Most Excellent Member of the British Empire) in the New Years Honours 2010 by Her Majesty the Queen. |
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ROC Angels - an initiative of ROC (Redeeming Our Communities)
Charity - 1139817 / Registered Company - 7327258 Postal Address: ROC Angels, c/o The King's Centre, Park Rd, Halifax, HX1 2TS E-Mail: [email protected] (founder / CEO) / Phone: 07725501465 |