The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the ‘MBE’ for voluntary groups, has been awarded to Guildford Street Angels.
Guildford Street Angels has been on-hand and visible throughout the town on Friday and Saturday nights since 2008. Its volunteers offer caring, supportive and non-judgemental assistance to people who, for whatever reason, have become vulnerable during the night time and early hours. They have helped ensure many a reveller receives a safe journey home. Well-known for the lollipops and flip-flops that they give out, they also dispense water, tissues, wet wipes, space blankets, hand gel and offer very basic first aid. They pick up bottles and broken glass left discarded by visitors, and in the last year alone have cleaned up more than 1,000 bottles from the streets of Guildford. Their work in collaboration with Surrey Police, Safer Guildford Partnership, the NHS, Pubwatch and the venue security staff has all been instrumental in the town achieving Purple Flag status in 2014. The group are also part of CNI Network (Christian Nightlife Initiatives) which support one hundred and thirty night-time projects. The Revd Rod Boreham, the town centre chaplain said: “We are very proud and honoured to receive the Queen’s Award in recognition of the selfless efforts of our volunteers. They give their time and energy willingly to make sure that any vulnerable person they encounter is looked after and kept safe.” Paul Blakey MBE, the founder of the Street Angels movement, said: "The amazing team of volunteers of Guildford Street Angels are committed to making the difference in the night-time community of the town. Having visited them on several occasions I have seen first hand the difference the project has contributed to as violence and anti-social behaviour is reduced. As CNI Network we congratulate them on this highly deserved award." Less than three weeks after his inauguration the new Bishop of Guildford was busy getting to know the communities he serves, from the pavement up. On a chilly Friday March 20th night into the early hours of Saturday the Rt Revd Andrew Watson walked and talked the streets of Woking and Guildford with teams of Street Angels who serve the town centres' night-time visitors by offering a friendly face and help to those in need. Since it was formed by the town’s churches in 2010 Woking Street Angels has helped an average of 420 people per year, by enabling them to get home, applying first aid, listening to them and handing out over 2,000 pairs of flip flops. Woking Street Angels coordinator Catherine Ray said: “We meet a huge range of people; those who are out drinking to forget, those who are out celebrating, soldiers returning from tours of duty, students returning home from university, people laughing, crying, shouting, many who speak English and some who do not. “Street Angels approach every situation with care, compassion and a desire to help. It is always a joy to be accompanied by those who are interested in finding out more about what we do, so we are looking forward to sharing our experiences with Bishop Andrew and hope that he will get a sense for the town and some of the challenges people face.” Bishop Andrew said: "I was delighted to meet some Street Angels in my first week in the role, and to hear about their work in Guildford, Woking, Camberley, Aldershot and Fleet - so when I was invited to join the teams, I jumped at the opportunity." “Street Angels are one of the church's gifts to our communities - groups of volunteers going onto the streets late on Friday and Saturday nights, helping to ensure that our young people are safe and supported. Town centres patrolled by Street Angels see marked reductions in violent crime, sexual assaults and antisocial behaviour." "What struck me was how volatile the atmosphere can feel late at night. It's very hands-on ministry and I came away having met some wonderful volunteers who really know what's going on out there and I couldn't help wondering if there are some more excellent opportunities for ministry, particularly perhaps for men and women who really want to roll their sleeves up and get involved in their church and community, but haven't found the right way to do that yet." Among the interactions that Bishop Andrew witnessed were: conversations with a group of men from a local hostel; a physical confrontation that took place in our midst, resulting in an arrest being made; and help for a vulnerable homeless woman sitting at the bus station. These are just a few examples of a busy night in town for the Street Angels in Guildford. We appreciated Bishop Andrew for giving of his time, to sample a night in town, with the Street Angels. As another of our volunteers said afterwards, "All in all (we) felt honoured he took an interest." Another Street Angel observed, “The Bishop was very supportive of the work of the Street Angels, and was keen to engage with them and with the people out in the town late that Friday night.” Guildford Street Angels Coordinator, Fiona Ford, says: "On behalf of the Guilford Town Centre Chaplaincy and the Street Angels teams, I would like to thank Bishop Andrew for coming out with the Street Angels in Guildford, where he spent an eventful night. As one of our volunteers said afterwards, we were grateful that he was "not presented with a sanitised experience when nothing happens but he got acquainted with the all the issues that we face in the course of our work”. Give it a go! Most Street Angels provide training for new recruits twice a year - and are willing for you to join them for a 'taster' session to see if you or your friends want to get involved in some way. For more information visit: Woking - www.wokingstreetangels.org.uk Guildford - www.gtcc.org.uk/street-angels (Fiona Ford, on [email protected]) Camberley - www.churchestogetherincamberley.org.uk Aldershot - www.tcpt.org.uk Fleet - www.fleettowncentreproject.org.uk Bishop Andrew tweeted: "An eventful night out with the Street Angels, ministering the love of Christ to the volatile, the vulnerable and the very drunk."
Halifax Street Angels attended the Calderdale Policing Awards Evening last night. They heard the amazing courage and bravery of West Yorkshire Police officers and some amazing members of the public. Three of the Street Angel volunteers received the District Commanders Commendation for their dedication to making our community safer. Siobhan Finneran star of Happy Valley, Benidorm and many others was even there to show her support. Here are a few pictures:
Over ninety people have volunteered so far to be part of the Festival Angels team at this years Leeds Festival.
The Festival Angels, which are now in their fourth year, have become a welcomed part of the Festival which sees ninety thousand people gather over August Bank Holiday at Bramham Park. The team work across three areas at the festival. The Prayer Cafe sells Festival Angels mugs for £5 which include free refills over the festival along with the opportunity for festival-goers to request prayer, a free copy of a specially printed festival edition of Mark's Gospel or to watch Christian based films. The detached teams are based on the Street Angels concept and patrol the festival site chatting to people, offering safety advice, suntan lotion, bottles of water and first aid assistance as well as a helping hand. The Lost Property tent last year re-united five hundred and seventy three items of property with its owners including a wallet containing £520 in cash, several smartphones, wellington boots and even a teddy bear! Festival Angels coordinator, Revd. Andy Nicholson, says, "Each year our team is getting bigger and we are looking to expand the number of services we offer. The dedication of our volunteers is amazing and really do help make Leeds Festival a better experience for the thousands of people we meet." To find out more or to become part of the team visit www.leedsfestivalangels.org.uk, download the app at www.festapp.org.uk or search Festival Angels on Facebook and Twitter. -- ends -- Please use the photos below - all taken by Magdalena Szymanska. For interviews or more details please contact Revd. Andy Nicholson or Paul Blakey MBE Source
A TOWN which lost its Night Marshalls after funding ran out is working with a church to recruit Street Angels to reassure residents. Night Marshalls patrolled Northallerton town centre for two years on Friday and Saturday nights from 10pm to 4am but were withdrawn after money provided through the Hambleton and Richmondshire Community Safety Partnership ran out. Now North Yorkshire Police is working with the New Life Baptist Church in Northallerton to set up a Street Angels scheme with up to 15 volunteers. Inspector Sarah Sanderson told members of the county council’s Hambleton Area Committee there was no evidence that the Night Marshall scheme had affected crime levels She said: “They were a good resource to have on the street, now we are looking at having Street Angels. They would work on a Friday and Saturday night and at special events such as the Fair. We are meeting with the New Life Baptist Church, but this won’t happen this summer. “It could take months to achieve, it is more likely at the end of the year and for next summer. It has to be run independently. It is not to target violence as to be the eyes and ears on the ground helping people coming out of pubs and clubs who maybe drunk and need help getting home, and to reassure elderly people." Cllr Tony Hall said there had been a lot of concern over comments on the BBC that following the disbandment of the Night Marshalls Northallerton had become a “dangerous place". “It was very much misrepresented, the funding ceased,” he added. Source
Late night revellers now have a safe haven in Manchester city centre. The project aims to make the city’s streets a safer place for the tens of thousands of people who head into town on Friday and Saturday nights. Based at the Nexus Art Café on Dale Street in the Northern Quarter, it is designed to provide support to people who are struggling to get home and take the pressure of over-stretched emergency services. The safe haven will operate on Friday and Saturday's 11pm until 6am. Chief Inspector Laura Marler, who is coordinating the Safe Haven scheme, said: “Weekend nights in the city centre are a busy time for all partners including police. "This initiative is to ensure our most vulnerable members of the community are protected, we can reduce the demand on our frontline services and the number of incidents of violent crime and ensure those visiting the city can enjoy their night safely. “The centre will act as a place of safety and a hub for police to provide care, advice and assistance for anyone who attends. "Water and hot drinks will be provided and visitors to the café will receive support to help them arrange to get home.” The haven will be manned by officers, special constables, Manchester Street Angels and the LGBT Foundation Village Angels. Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Jim Battle said: “This safe haven will enhance the valuable work done by our emergency services, door staff and army of volunteers from the LGBT Foundation Village Angels, Manchester Street Angels who are out every weekend to keep people safe in our city centre. “The safe haven will provide a place for people to chill out, perhaps recharge their phone, get support and ultimately get home safely. “It will help to make sure that our police are freed up to keep our city’s streets safe but most importantly, it will mean people who could fall victim to crime are able to keep out of harm’s way. “I hope this scheme is a success as it demonstrates how the emergency services, venues, charities and volunteers are all working together to make our city a fantastic place.” The scheme has been developed by Manchester council, Greater Manchester’s Police and Crime Commissioner and other partners. Club Angels launched on 29th May 2015 in Central London's Tiger Tiger Picadilly nightclub. The team hang out to 'chat, help, listen and care' to staff and customers.
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Street Angels York section: Street Angels York is a Church-led initiative made up of volunteers who want to help make York city centre a safer and better place. Each Friday and Saturday night at 9pm a group of volunteers, men and women from various city churches, meet at St Columba’s. There they don reflective Street Angels jackets, before splitting into groups of three to patrol the city centre streets and visit pubs and bars. “Street Angel volunteers are likely to be approached by individuals needing help or information, from directions to the nearest taxi rank to where to find a safe place to stay for the night,” the charity says. “Volunteers also identify those in vulnerable situations: single girls needing someone to walk them to a taxi or wait with them for a bus, guys who have lost their mates and their mobile phones, the teenagers drinking cider in the market stalls, or the homeless man who’s just had some guy pour a can of beer over his sleeping bag. Volunteers are there to care for those in need, to provide a listening ear and to be a safe and approachable person.” Sixteen volunteers became Festival Chaplains at the MoFest event in Montrose. They had a great weekend and a fantastic reception from the festival-goers.
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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 |