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Guildford has receive the Purple Flag award for night-time economy for the second year running. The award recognises good practice and excellence in the management of a town centre at night, highlighting the safety, vibrancy and diversity of an area’s evening and night life. Guildford joins nearly 70 other towns and cities across the UK and Ireland who proudly fly the Purple Flag and is currently the only town in Surrey to have gained such accreditation. The Purple Flag assessors remarked: “Guildford is clearly a great example of a Purple Flag area showing good practice in the evening and night-time economy.” The Purple Flag campaign in Guildford has been driven by Experience Guildford, the town centre’s business improvement district in partnership with Guildford Borough Council, Surrey Police, Surrey Fire and Rescue, Guildford Pubwatch and Guildford Street Angels. Collectively, they have worked to raise the profile of the town and its evening and night-time economy offering, covering pubs, clubs, bars, restaurants and entertainment venues and tackling issues of safety and transport, street lighting, signage and parking, for example. Organised by the Association of Town and City Management, Purple Flag assessors praised three key initiatives undertaken by the town to secure the award once again.
Stuart Craggs, night-time economy manager at Experience Guildford and recently appointed Purple Flag assessor said: “Guildford has worked hard to ensure our evening and night-time economy is one that we can all be proud of. “To be recognised as a beacon of excellence within Surrey by the Purple Flag assessors is testament to the hard work and commitment of all those involved.” CNI (Christian Nightlife Initiatives) Network, the umbrella charity for Street, Club and Festival Angels, is holding its national conference later this month.
The weekend will see volunteers from across the 130 local projects join together at The Fuse, Manchester, the home of Christian charity Redeeming Our Communities. The weekend will include workshops, which will see volunteers trained in areas of need they encounter whilst working within the night-time economy, as well as opportunities for networking, hearing of the ways communities are impacted through local projects and gathering new ideas and resources. The weekend, 23rd - 25th October, is open to all and more information and bookings can be made at the CNI Network website -www.cninetwork.org.uk . If you are a parent (or youth worker, teacher / schools worker or come across young people whilst on patrol) you may be interested to hear about the range of materials Drinkaware, the alcohol education charity, provide to support you in having effective conversations with your child about alcohol. You may have already spoken to your child about alcohol, but there could be more you can say to prevent them from drinking underage. For instance, did you know that research has shown children who start to drink by age 13 are more likely to go on to have worse grades or to skip school?(1) Or, did you know that compared to non-drinkers, underage drinkers are more likely to smoke tobacco or use cannabis.(2) As a parent it’s important to understand not only the risks associated with underage drinking, but also why children drink alcohol, so you can influence your child to make sensible choices. Just as you would talk to your children about other concerns such as bullying or smoking, it is worth finding out all the facts on children and alcohol to help you have the best conversation with them about drinking underage. There are some great materials on the Drinkaware website www.drinkaware.co.uk/underagedrinking to help you have these conversations. You can find medically approved information, tools, video resources, facts and guides. Keep the conversation going by visiting: www.drinkaware.co.uk/underagedrinking 1 Ellickson et al (2003). Ten Year Prospective Study of Public Health Problems Associated with Early Drinking. Pediatrics 111;949: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/111/5/949.full.html 2 Best et al (2001). Drinking and smoking as concurrent predictors of illicit drug use and positive drug attitudes in adolescents. Drug and Alcohol Dependence 60 (2000). 319–321. Downloaded from: www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0376871600001137 CNI Network's Alcohol and Safety Education Resource is available at www.sa-cni.org.uk/alcohol--safety-education Source
STREET Angels in North East Lincolnshire have been awarded nearly £10,000 to help keep their halos shining. The group patrols the Cleethorpes area on Saturday night, offering care to those in need, and has been awarded £9,910 from the Big Lottery Awards For All programme to grow and develop the project. The award will enable the group to expand and develop its volunteer base so that it will be able to continue to serve the community. Street Angels in North East Lincolnshire launched in 2010 with about 15 volunteers. Unfortunately a number of them have now moved on or are not available to volunteer as regularly. New Angels have been recruited but more are needed. Anyone wishing to volunteer or to find out more should contact Jackie Fortune on 01472 240071 or e-mail [email protected] Street Angels patrol Cleethorpes on Saturday nights between 10pm and 2.30am, interacting with people. They are there to reassure and to offer practical help to anyone who needs it, including water and wipes to anyone who is poorly, and offering flip flops to those not wearing shoes. They help people get home safely by liaising with taxi drivers or contacting family and ensure that homeless people know where to access support. With less than a month to #CNIConf this weeks email update focuses on the Interacting with the LGBT community workshop... As Street Angels we go out with a bag, full of resources for all whom we meet. We also may go out with those space blankets but what we really would like to hand out is a thick quilt... So if we are to work closely with the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community how might a QUILT and a BAG help us? Come to our workshop to find out! We can fill that bag with more tools to help you engage. This workshop is presented by Bob and Mandy Stoner from Sleaford StreetSource and Jessica White from the LGBT Foundation, Manchester. Have you ever had your portrait painted? A visual artist will seek to create an image of the person who sits before them. It takes a really gifted and skilled artist to capture a true likeness. We believe that it’s possible to paint pictures with music as well as with the brush or pen. With our instruments and voices we use improvised music as the means of creating a 'sound portrait' of the people we play for.
We don’t pretend to be able to capture an exact likeness of a person as an artist would on canvass, but simply allow ourselves to be guided by impressions that we get of a person (or couple), inspiring us to play a certain motif, chord structure or melody, interwoven to produce a piece of music that we believe captures some aspect of that person’s identity. Like a reflection in a mirror, the image is reflected back in music. The person whose portrait is being played may see themselves portrayed as they have never been before! Presented by Epiphany Musical Portraits (as seen at the Ideal Home Exhibition!) on Saturday between the afternoon and evening sessions. The latest CNI Network project launched on Sunday, 20th September. Headed up by Carlisle Christian Union the team will be running Club Angels in Club Concrete on student nights. The team will 'chat, help, listen and care' for those inside the nightclub venue. Also on Sunday Paul Blakey spoke at a Churches Together event in Dewsbury about our work as the church in that area explore a Street and Club Angels work in Batley.
#CNIConf Countdow 2 - Friday 23rd - Sunday 25th October at The Fuse, Warburton Lane, Partington, Manchester M31 4BU - see here for more details and to book... This week we focus on the Asylum Seekers and Refugees Workshop: All of us will have been challenged in some way by the media based on the situation in Calais. Behind the often sensationalist headlines are people - people fleeing situations we will probably never know or understand and who are now vulnerable, frightened and unsure of the future. The Asylum Seekers and Refugees Workshop will help us to gain understanding around asylum seekers and refugees. The workshop will look at those who find themselves street homeless and what support we, as projects serving our communities at night, can offer. This workshop will help unpack the ever changing mix of cultures within our communities and give tools to be able to reach these incredibly vulnerable people. There will be opportunity for questions especially around the current situation.
We would love to see every project within the CNI Network family at our conference. We have extended the early bird price of £70 per person for the full weekend (including meals) until the end of September. Hotels rooms are available locally for around £70 (this is per room!) or if you have a caravan or camper-van stay on site for free! Thanks to Diageo who have very kindly sponsored the conference which means we are able to offer the weekend at cost. More details are at www.sa-cni.org.uk/2015-national-conference This article was in The Guardian this week and is essential reading for those who volunteer within our local projects:
On a high - why Britain is back on ecstasy Please do share this email with your volunteers. Source
Greater Manchester’s Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner has praised the role of police volunteers but warns they are not a replacement for police officers. Jim Battle was speaking as the Home Office mooted proposals to give unpaid police volunteers more powers, including ability to issue on-the-spot fines, detain and search suspects and seize drugs and alcohol from young people. Mr Battle said: “There is of course a big role for volunteers in local policing. In Greater Manchester we have an army of people all giving up their own time to make a difference in their communities, from Home Watch organisers, Street Angels and Pastors keeping people safe on a night out to Special Constables and police volunteers. The work they do is invaluable, but they do this with the support of police officers and PCSOs – they are not a replacement for them. “I strongly believe that the role of volunteers working with police to keep us safe should be fully recognised. But I think most people will see these plans for what they are - a smokescreen to try and hide the real and lasting damage the Government is dong to British policing. Theresa May has to wake up from her fantasy and realise that policing needs to be properly funded.” Dear friend, We are so looking forward to the 2015 CNI Network National Conference! It is always fantastic to hear and read what local projects are achieving and this weekend, 23rd - 25th October, will be a massive celebration of that! Our aim is to make the Conference as beneficial as possible to the work you and your teams do on the streets, in the clubs, within safe-place drop-in's and at festivals. Each week we will be sending a Conference update which we ask to pass onto your teams so as many local projects as possible can benefit. This week our focus is the workshops led by the Executive Director of Mercy Ministries, Arianna Walker... Workshop Leader Biog: Arianna Walker is passionate about seeing people from all walks of life overcome brokenness and adversity to reach their God given potential. Drawing on years of pastoral leadership experience, she uses practical examples to educate, equip and empower others to rise up and reach out. Arianna regularly speaks at conferences and churches, is an author and the Executive Director of Mercy Ministries UK- a Christian charity that works in partnership with churches across the UK to provide residential care for young women who are dealing with life controlling issues. Workshop Details - Empowered to Reach: Session 1 Tree of Addictions with a focus on the coping mechanisms of self harm eating disorders and addiction - this is session is a helpful insight to remind us all that we need to consider the why behind the what. Behaviours are most visible, but dealing with the root of the issue will seek to eradicate the behaviour. Session 2 Models of discipleship that help people overcome life controlling issues. Choices Bring Change is the integrated, holistic curriculum used at Mercy UK - all of its parts which include focus on renewing the mind, dealing with life hurts and forgiveness will be shared in this session. Session 3 How to stay whole whilst helping broken people. If anyone has been involved with people for a length of time all can relate to being hurt by those you are helping, this session gives a focus on how to create appropriate boundaries and staying fit for purpose in coordinating individuals care. To book or for more details visit the CNI Network Conference Page. The conference will also give you the opportunity to have your very own Sound Portrait created! Intrigued? See the web page for more details!
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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 |