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Guildford has been recognised for its evening and night-time economy. The town is flying the Purple Flag for the fourth year running and is the only place in Surrey to boast that achievement. The coveted award is given to towns and cities across the UK and Ireland who provide a vibrant and diverse mix of dining, entertainment and culture while promoting the safety and well-being of visitors and local residents. It has the aim of broadening the appeal of an area's centre between the hours of 5pm and 5am. Amanda Masters is the coordinator of the Purple Flag partnership for Guildford and said: "Achieving a Purple Flag accreditation for the fourth year is a massive milestone for the town and one that we should all be proud of. "It sends a clear message to residents and visitors, one that demonstrates how seriously the businesses and organisations involved with our night time economy take safety and best practice. Local representatives, including Guildford Borough Council, Surrey Police, Surrey Fire and Rescue, Guildford Pubwatch and Guildford Street Angels, have worked to raise Guildford's profile and night-time economy. This includes reducing alcohol-related crime and disorder and improving visitor safety. Councillor Graham Ellwood is Lead councillor for Licensing and Community Safety at Guildford Borough Council. He said: "We’re delighted to hear that our town has once again been successfully accredited with the Purple Flag, recognising the hard work of all our partners to make sure Guildford is a great place for a safe, enjoyable evening. "From local businesses to taxi marshals, Guildford Pubwatch to the Guildford Street Angels, we all want Guildford to be your number one choice for a good night out in one of our wide range of restaurants, bars, live music venues and theatres." After months of preparation, Barrow has a new project on the horizon that will be supporting its night-time economy (NTE) every Saturday night. Street Angels are safe people who patrol a community hub ‘typically town and city centres’ on weekends.
There are 130 projects within the CNI Network [www.cninetwork.org] family, working on the streets, in clubs, at festivals, etc. Street Angels is an exciting ministry. It shows that the church cares about the community it serves and about the problems associated with the night-time economy since so many of our town and city centres change character on weekend nights. Street Angels is about offering safe people and a safe place within this culture. We want the town of Barrow to continue to have a thriving night-time economy and for people to enjoy their night out, but also to stay safe and be responsible. Therefore, we would want to support the police and businesses in the town at peak times each month to show that the church cares about its community. The project aims to start on Saturday 7th October, then every Saturday thereafter between the hours of midnight and 5am. Groups of individuals will be supporting people along Cavendish Street with, flips flops, lollipops, foil blankets and a listening ear. There have been over 24 volunteers who have pledged their support in being involved on a regular basis. Barrow Street Angels Coordinator, Rev Sophie Carnaby commented, “It‘s amazing to have so many people who want to volunteer on the streets during a Saturday night. It’s a real opportunity to show Barrow that there are many who care for the welfare of people in our town”. Barrow Street Angels are commissioning their volunteers who have completed the first phase of training,on Monday 25th September, 7pm at Trinity Church Centre, Barrow. ‘The service is open to all to, hear more about the project or support its volunteers.Mr Paul Blakey MBE, the founder of Street Angels will be speaking at the service, which will also be attended by Police representatives including Cumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Mr Peter McCall. Mr McCall commented on the project, “We know lots of people get into difficultly after having too much to drink. These people need help and a kind ear and someone who can point them in the right direction and make sure they get home safely. This is a great way to work WITH the Police and WITH the community, that’s the really important thing. My mantra is ‘we not they’, we shouldn’t expect other people to pick up the pieces. The police and others haven’t got those resources.We’ve seen around the country, Street Pastors and Street Angels save the time of the Police and NHS A&Es get blocked up with those who don’t need to be there. They just need someone to point them in the right direction and give them a hand. I really welcome Street Angels to Barrow”. Rob O’ Connor, Superintendent for Policing in Cumbria has also welcomed the new project, “I am extremely grateful to the volunteers who have formed Barrow Street Angels and will give up their own time on Saturday nights, and some Bank Holiday weekends and festive Fridays”. They will be a fantastic addition to assist other partners and licensees in ensuring those who visit Barrow Town Centre can enjoy the night time economy. The Barrow Street Angels will assist the Police by reducing some of our demand i.e. they will support people who have lost their friends, are struggling to get home, or just need a friendly face to talk to. They are independent of the Police, but I am really looking forward to my officers working alongside them, as we all want the Town Centre to be safe from trouble where those on a night out can enjoy themselves with friends” So over the next few months look out for small groups of volunteers who are giving up their time and sleep to support those enjoying themselves on a Saturday night. Volunteers will be easily identifiable with their orange coats on. Please do say hello to them if you‘re out on a night. If you’re interested in giving your time to become a volunteer, or you’d like to donate flip flops or make a donation for the ongoing work, please contact Rev Sophie Carnaby through their Facebook Page, ‘Barrow Street Angels’. This Wednesday, a new podcast is being launched by Christian Comedian and illusionist, Tom Ellliott, which seeks to encourage people to think about having a greater sense of joy in their lives. Since Tom announced he would be launching this new podcast, a thunderclap has been set up which will see over 130,000 imprints on social media as the first episode goes live.
Co-hosted by fellow magician, Tom Geatches, the duo will explore the challenges of finding joy in different spheres of live with interviews from a range of guests. In the first episode, Tom speaks to Matt Bird, the Founder of Relationology about the joy which is found in the relationships we have. Future guests include Andy Frost from Share Jesus International, Jake Isaacs, Noel Robinson and Paul Blakey MBE. The Joyride Podcast is aimed specifically for those who have are on the fringe of faith to encourage and challenge them to think about more whether true joy can be found. On Wednesday, the two co-hosts will be launching two pre-show episodes, the first at 7.00am and then another at 12.00pm, to give a taste of what is to come. The main eposoide will then be available at 5.30pm, where it is hoped listeners will tune in, download and share. Speaking ahead of the launch of the JoyRide Podcast, co-host, Tom Geatches said: "I'm delighted to be working with Tom Elliott in co-hosting the Joyride Podcast launching this week. I hope that people across the UK will listen in and share it with their friends. I believe we have some amazing guests in the coming weeks and months which will challenge, stir and encourage to think about how they can have a joy which will last!" Tom Elliott, Director of the Affirming Life Trust added: "This brand new podcast will, I believe, give opportunity to provoke questions about life and I look forward to hearing stories of those whose lives have been changed as a result of listening to this. I'm excited that we have some amazing guests who will be sharing their own story and struggles with finding joy. Too often, we can only paint a rosy side to our lives, but I'm asked our guests to be honest with our listeners as that is where the real encouragement comes from!" To find out more and listen to the JoyRide Podcast, simply visit www.joyridepodcast.co.uk A commissioning service was held for the newest team of Street Angels in Dewsbury. The service was attended by local MP, Paula Sherriff, who spoke highly of this 'wonderful initiative'. Prayers for the town and project were led by local church leaders and Paul Blakey encouraged the volunteers, and wider Christian community, to help make the streets of Dewsbury like new again by loving those in front of you. Volunteers from neighbouring Leeds Street Angels and Huddersfield Street Angels then prayed for the volunteers and project and commissioned them to make the difference in the Dewsbury area.
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THERE'S a tearful girl stood in front of us on the pavement, waiting for a lift home from her friend after an argument with her boyfriend in a nightclub. To my left is a man lying on his back in the middle of the road, holding up a taxi as he waves his arms and legs in the street like a bluebottle in its death throes. The girl’s phone rings. “I’ve left because you’re behaving like a p***” she explains loudly and clearly to presumably her boyfriend. Then a man taps me on my shoulder to my right, asking if I can give him some flip-flops because his sheep have been stepping on his feet all day at his farm and now they’re hurting him. I'm stone, cold sober in Northallerton on a Saturday night – and feeling it acutely. I’m with a group of volunteers, Northallerton Street Angels, an extraordinary group of people who turn out at 10pm on a Saturday night to patrol the streets until 4am on Sunday, handing out flip-flops to the footsore and safety and peace of mind to drinkers and their families back home. We stand with the woman who is waiting on her own for her lift and chat with her until her friend arrives to ensure she gets home. Two others in our patrol group good-humouredly encourage the man on his back in the road to get up and leave him in the care of one of his friends who assures them he’ll take care of him. The man who asked for flip-flops shakes the hands of the volunteers and thanks them for looking out for people in the town; the first of many people that night who stop the Street Angels to tell them they appreciate the work they’re doing. The Northallerton Street Angels group was set up in July 2016 to provide reassurance and support for anyone in need of help. It was launched with funding from North Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Julia Mulligan, in partnership with New Life Baptist Church, Safer Hambleton Hub and Churches Together Northallerton. The aim is to prevent situations escalating to the point where emergency services need to intervene. Since it has been operating, North Yorkshire Police say crime and antisocial behaviour has dropped a staggering 30 per cent in the town. Steve Cowie of Northallerton New Life Baptist Church and the chair of Northallerton Street Angels, says the success of the project has exceeded everybody’s expectations. I meet the team in Northallerton Town Hall at the beginning of their night. Everyone collects their patrol gear, which includes a first aid kit, torches, foil blankets, sick bags, tissues, flip-flops, bottles of water and bottle toppers to prevent drinks being spiked. They're dressed in a high visibility black and orange uniform. Team leader Ian Woods explains: “It’s warm now, but at 3am it could be freezing and they still have on their light gear and they’ll walk without shoes because their feet hurt. That’s why we give out flip-flops – so they can get home – and space blankets if they’re really cold. “If you only help one person each week, that’s 52 people in a year we have helped.” Before heading out, everyone gathers in a circle for a quick prayer, and we head out on to Northallerton High Street, which is already noisy with drinkers making their way between pubs. A member of my group, who didn't wish to be named, explains how the piece of kit they use most is a dustpan and brush for sweeping up broken glass from the pavement. Vital, as before long people will be leaving bars and clubs bare foot, carrying their painful heeled shoes with them. We only go a few yards before the first broken bottle is swept up off the pavement. The group work in tandem with a CCTV operator, who directs the patrols to potential trouble. They stay within the radius of the cameras to ensure their safety. The CCTV operator directs our group to a carpark, where there looks to be “some trouble with drugs” from a group of young men in cars. Then the sound of breaking glass fills the street. A large bottle of spirits has been thrown into the road through the High Street. One of the Street Angels stops the traffic while the others quickly sweep up the large shards of broken glass. Later on in the night, a report comes in over the radio from a CCTV operator of a man collapsed on Brompton Road. When we get there, he is semi-conscious on the pavement bleeding from an injury on the back of his head. The angels try and stem the bleeding with their first aid kit while they wait for ambulance crews to arrive. Once he has been taken to hospital, we head back to the town hall for a warm drink. I’m starting to feel cold and tired, but I haven’t yet heard one volunteer sound anything other than cheery. One explains: “Some parents have come up to us and say their children are going out and that they’re glad they’re going to be looked after and watched over.” The volunteers are of all ages and backgrounds, all of them giving up their weekend for free to patrol the streets and look after people they don’t know. I had arrived that night, curious to find out what drove them to do this and now it's time to leave, I feel thankful they do. One hundred and sixty volunteers from across the North of England and Brazil became Festival Angels for a week at Leeds Festival.
The team were on hand to ensure that festival-goers had a safe and enjoyable time. The Prayer Cafe sold nearly 4000 mugs which came with the offer of free tea, coffee and hot water refills for the duration of the Festival. Lost Property and Left Luggage was extremely busy with people leaving rucksacks and camping chairs as changes in security banned large items from the Main Arena. The detached teams were on hand to help carry bags, put up tents, offer sun tan lotion and help people navigate the site. A new venture this year was offering to security mark peoples valuables as they arrived on site which proved very popular. On Sunday night we were privileged to host Brian 'Head' Welch in the Prayer Cafe from metal band Korn who had just played a set on main stage. Around 200 people gathered to hear Brian's story of alcohol, drugs, divorce and life on the road in Korn and then leaving the band to become a Christian. Many of those present were in tears as Brian shared his story with almost everyone responding to the call for prayer where Brian prayed, hugged and ministered. Many people hung around the Prayer Cafe afterwards chatting to volunteers. A team from Brazil were also on hand inviting people to this event, sharing the reason for Festival Angels and praying with people. You can find out more and watch Brian's story on the Festival Angels Facebook page. |
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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 |