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Thanks to Mick Kelsey from Hull Trinity Street Angels for this!
Lincolnshire Parents of LGBT Support Group
According to the latest statistics 5% of our population would identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT), which in the past would have been referred to as 'gay'. When a child does come 'out' and informs parents that they wish to identify differently from the gender they were born, this can cause tension and a breakdown of that relationship on occasions. Parents and child can seem to drift apart as they both try to find reasons as to why this has occurred. Following the death of Leelah Alcorn in the US and the publicity that has resulted from her suicide it is probably even more appropriate for this group to exist. The aim of the Lincolnshire Parents Support Group is to provide a space where parents can come together and discuss this journey. With mutual support they can, we hope and pray, continue to provide love and support to their child. We have produced a website (lincsparentslgbt.org.uk) and a twitter account (@LGBTLIncs) with which people can make contact with us. There is a contact page on the website which directly links us by email. If you or you are aware of people who may find this of benefit please do make contact. We will not publish details of who contacts us. We want to walk alongside all and help, support, care and listen. Article (source)
A new book has been launched to celebrate the Street Angels scheme, which aims to curb night-time antisocial behaviour and binge drinking. The book, entitled “Street Angels: The Amazing Story from Binge to Better,” has been written by Larne native Jean Blakey and her husband Paul. The Christian Nightlife Initiative’s Street Angels scheme began in Northern Ireland twenty years ago, and involves groups of volunteers maintaining a late-night presence in town centres, offering a hot drink and a listening ear. In Larne, the initiative operates under the “Night Light” scheme run by First Larne Presbyterian Church, whose volunteers man a stand outside Dan Campbell’s pub on Dunluce Street, offering tea and coffee. Englishman Paul told The Times: “Myself and Jean set up Street Angels in Halifax ten years ago. Halifax was known as the Wild West of West Yorkshire. “There were 8-12,000 people coming into a small town centre which had more pubs and clubs per square mile than any other town in the UK. “Combined with cheap alcohol there was violence, sexual assaults, under-age and binge-drinking. “It became a no-go area and as Christians we thought there was something we could do.” The Halifax group’s 50 volunteers helped 69 people in their first week. Jean explained: “Having people who care in the centre of the town and who can respond quickly really changes the atmosphere. “We’re not there to judge or lay down the law so we’re not seen as a threat or above them. We develop relationships with people and if they are going through a tough time we listen.” The group’s actions have seen a number of people turn their lives around. Paul explained: “There are teenagers that have been going out clubbing and didn’t have any hope or care for themselves. “When someone puts a bit of love or respect their way it encourages them to get their degrees, to take a better way. “Halifax has now received a “Purple Flag Award” to recognise great entertainment and hospitality in the night-time economy. “More family-orientated businesses are coming into the town, which is bringing in money. There’s a big difference. Alcohol-related violence and A&E admissions are reducing year on year as Street Angel groups increase.” There are now 130 projects across the UK, with Street Angels working from a variety of venues including cafes and mobile units. In some situations, the Street Angels have literally saved lives. Paul revealed: “In one incident a guy was leaving a night club and had an argument with a worker who pushed him, and the guy fell down the stairs. “Our volunteers turned up in 30 seconds to do first aid and saved his life. If they hadn’t been there with a first aid response it would have been a murder scene. The chap was in a coma for six week’s and came out of it to see his new grand-daughter being born.” The Street Angels movement has been so successful that it has now expanded to include Club Angels in night clubs and Festival Angels at music events. The proceeds from the new Street Angels book will be ploughed back into the work of groups around the country. The book, which costs £7.99, is available to purchase from First Larne Presbyterian Church and Glenarm Tourist Information shop. It can also be purchased online at www.sa-cni.org.uk/book Source
Visit the centre of Whitby on a Friday night and you will see a number of people walking around wearing fluorescent jackets. While many people will be thinking of going to bed at 10pm this band of volunteers, known as Street Angels, will be out in all weathers on a Friday night not only to help make the area safe but also provide a hand to those who need it. “We aim to help people who may be vulnerable, those who may be lost or others who need basic first aid of the type which we can deal with rather than call an ambulance,” explains Helen Webster, a Deacon with the Methodist Church in which she is community-based minister. She was at the forefront of putting the idea into practice more than two years ago following a discussion with a representative of the borough council’s Safer Communities team about its work. She was told about the Street Angels in Scarborough and that the council was looking to expand the idea to Whitby with a church link. A meeting to discuss the idea resulted in 12 volunteers coming forward and although a couple or so have dropped out for various reasons more have come forward. But the scheme would like even more people to join so that it can also operate on Saturday nights. “We would like to do it every Saturday. We have got more volunteers and have been able to do alternate Saturdays,” said Helen who adds that new training sessions will begin this month. She is looking for people of all ages but they must be over 18. There is no upper age limit – the oldest volunteer at present is 75 – but they must be able to do the organised route they will walk. Based at the council youth premises, they start their walks around 10pm – having first met for a briefing around 9.30pm - and go on until 2am with a short break around midnight. “We walk around the town in teams of three and have a route worked out with the police which is covered by CCTV,” says Helen. They are trained over a number of weeks in basic first aid and listening skills as well as in drugs and alcohol awareness and, as is the case with other organisations, must undergo the usual security checks. “We can also help people to get home, find their friends or call a taxi. We aim to look after people and keep an eye on those, for example, who may be wandering down a dark alleyway on their own,” she says. As well as Friday nights and some Saturdays the teams were out over Christmas and New Year’s Eve in particular. “Our aim is to help people and also to help them drink safely,” says Helen who explains their role is different from that of other organisations, such as the Salvation Army, who may provide food and shelter for the homeless. Working in partnership with local organisations such as the local police, the ambulance service, the borough council the CCTV team, local security services, North Yorkshire Coast and Moors, the teams each have a radio linked up with the pub watch scheme, door staff at pubs and the CCTV operation. “We will respond quickly if someone needs to help – with first aid – but also by calling the appropriate services if needed,” says Helen. However, they hope to prevent calling on those services in the first place by providing practical help like picking up discarded bottles and glasses, helping people to get a taxi home, contacting friends or family, being a listening ear, chatting with people and providing flip flops to those without shoes. “We also aim to be able to spend more time with people in a way that perhaps others, such as the police, cannot do because of the time involved,” explains Helen. She stresses: “We do not deal with any conflicts or such difficulties but would use our radios to talk to the CCTV operators and the police and door staff but we may stay in the background to help people afterwards and make sure they get home safely.” Christians on the team will also pray with those people who request it. The main point, though, is to provide a friendly face in the town centre, helping to make everyone’s evening as fun and as safe as possible. “People are very supportive of us and are very friendly. They appreciate what we do,” says Helen. The website involved is: www.street-angels.org.uk. Source
A TAMWORTH vicar is to launch a project which will see a team of experts repairing electrical items completely free of charge. Rev Vic Van Den Bergh, vicar of St Francis Church, Leyfields and acting vicar of Tamworth, plans to hold the first 'Restart Party' at Easter. He has recruited a host of engineers to help with fixing broken televisions, phones, laptops and other similar appliances which members of the public will be invited to take along. Vic, who is a qualified electronics engineer with a keen interest in the subject, hopes that the scheme will help people save cash and will be good for the environment. He said: "Restart parties are held in other areas and I thought it would be good to start the scheme in Tamworth. "Basically, if you have an electrical item which is broken, bring it along and we will fix it. It will be completely free of charge. "People will throw away a two-year-old TV which is broken and buy a new one, when the old one could be repaired with just a capacitor costing a few pence. People will throw away their broken phones and get into debt buying new ones – they can be repaired. "This scheme will save people money and, of course, it's green, it will mean people are throwing fewer things away." Vic, also the driving force behind Tamworth's hugely successful Street Angels project, is hoping to set up several Restart groups across the town if the project proves successful, and is also hoping to repair larger items such as tumble dryers and washing machines. Anyone who has the skills to repair electrical items and who would be willing to offer their services free of charge can contact Vic at [email protected] Nantwich Street Pastors and Paul from CNI Network on Mark Forrester show (39 local BBC radio stations) New Years Day
Adrienne Tonge - coordinator of Bolton Street Angels - New Years Eve diary of the work of Street Angels:
Source
Insp Andy Everitt, Ryedale police: LOOKING back over 2014, Ryedale police have again received tremendous support from the community as we continue to address those crime and quality of life issues that impact us on all, and I thank you for that. I am constantly reminded of how lucky we are to live and work in such a wonderful place as Ryedale where the quality of its community more than matches the beauty of its natural surroundings. I am delighted to report that acquisitive crime, such as burglary and all types of theft, are continuing to reduce across the district in some instances by up to 25 per cent compared to last year, and we will continue to target persistent offenders wherever they reside. Violence in the night-time economy is also reducing markedly and I would like to thank all our licensees, bar and door staff who worked in a co-ordinated way to deter drunkenness and poor behaviour in our towns. I would also like to acknowledge the work of our Pubwatch schemes in banning trouble-makers from all town centre pubs and for the work of our Street Angels who volunteer their time to assist in keeping vulnerable people safe in the night-time economy. I am very aware that everything we achieve in delivering policing services is a team effort and we could not be where we are now without the support of other partner agencies and volunteers. Thank you for all your work that goes on often behind the scenes to improve the quality of people’s lives. Finally, supporting vulnerable people is a key theme for Ryedale police and this is particularly poignant at this time of year where loneliness and other life challenges are often brought sharply into focus for many people. Being a vulnerable person can come in many guises, such as depression or other issues relating to our mental health, as a victim of violence or domestic abuse in its many forms, an addiction to drugs or legal highs, or even a victim of exploitation through social media, the list goes on. There is tremendous support out there, including ourselves, and we now have strong communication processes in place to ensure that people are referred to the right organisations to receive the support you deserve. Don’t sit on it over Christmas, do something about it and make that call or speak to somebody be it a friend or family member. Take care of yourself and those around you over the Christmas and New Year period and I wish everybody a happy Christmas and a healthy New Year. In another article: Source Insp Everitt said night time economy assaults were also continuing to reduce in Ryedale's towns as co-ordinated partnership initiatives such as Pub-watch, Street Angels, targeted patrolling, use of CCTV, banning of offenders from licensed premises etc have a sustained impact. Source
Huddersfield Street Angels usually spend their time helping weekend revellers, with water, First Aid and help with lifts home, but on Saturday, December 20, they brought some Christmas cheer to members of staff at a number of pubs and clubs, and to the police and CCTV staff. The scheme was the idea of Ian and Karen Atkinson. The members of Kirkheaton Parish Church and regular Street Angels wanted to build on the positive relationships that already exist between staff and Street Angels within the town centre. They distributed gifts of chocolates, biscuits and home baking to seven venues including The Warehouse, Yates and Mavericks. “We wanted to recognise just how hard staff, police and camera operators work throughout the year,” said Ian, chairman of Huddersfield Street Angels, “making sure that people have a safe and enjoyable time in the town centre,” Karen said how pleased people were to receive the gifts. She said: “There was such a positive response. It was great to be able to give something to a group of people who don’t get many compliments in a night’s work.” All the gifts were provided by members of Kirkheaton church. “We asked for donations from our friends there and they responded magnificently,” Ian added, “even when we discovered that one venue had 75 members of staff. “We hope we will be able to make this an annual event. Next time we hope we will be able to include even more venues. We are also considering something similar at Easter.” For more information about the work of the Huddersfield Street Angels, visit the Facebook page or contact Ian at [email protected] ![]() Founder of Street Angels - CNI Network, Paul Blakey MBE, is featured in the Top 100 UK Christians 2014 list. The list and details are here. Source
I WRITE with reference to the future of the CCTV cameras in Malton and Norton. Volunteers patrol as Street Angels on Saturday nights to help vulnerable people to act as a calming influence and to help make the streets safer. Patrols only take place with the permission and co-operation of the police and with the CCTV cameras manned for the duration of every patrol. Without the CCTV cameras, the police will not support Street Angels patrols. If the CCTV cameras are turned off (as they are in Pickering) then the Street Angel patrols will not be able to take place and the Street Angels will have to be disbanded. This would be a pity because in the year that Street Angels have been patrolling there have been fewer incidents of violence with injury and almost no broken windows while people are out at night. As there have been other Safer Streets initiatives during this period, Street Angels cannot take the credit for all of this, but the police have told us that our presence on the streets makes a difference. If the money needed to continue CCTV coverage and make it more effective is not found then our streets will be that much less safe for those who are out at night – this would include cinema goers, restaurant and takeaway users, as well as those visiting pubs and the right to walk the streets safely will be eroded. A White, Ryedale Street Angels co-ordinator, Norton ![]() Source The friends of 17-year-old Adam Pickup who were out with him the night he disappeared are to go on patrol with the Manchester Street Angels to mark the anniversary of the tragedy later this evening. Adam went missing following a night out in Manchester City Centre on December the 28th. His body was found on wasteland near to Deansgate Station two days later. Thousands of people joined the search for Adam using social media, and in the aftermath a campaign was set up to recruit teams of volunteers to help make Manchester safer. Manchester Street Angels go out every Friday night between the hours of 10pm and 2am, helping those who may have become vulnerable through alcohol. Adam's family are planning to release dozens of balloons at midnight to mark a year since he disappeared. They say had Angels been on the streets that night things may have been very different. Adam's friends who were out with him that night are fully behind the project and wanted to do their bit by going on patrol a year-on from when they lost their friend". "The support we have had from the police, the Pub and Club Network, and those enjoying nights out in the City Centre has been absolutely amazing. We now have a base at the offices at Great Northern thanks to the generosity of management there and already we have helped dozens of people get home safely." – CHAIR OF MANCHESTER STREET ANGELS, RACHEL GODDARD Source (with images and video)
Friends and family of tragic teenager Adam Pickup gathered in Manchester to mark the anniversary of his death. Adam, 17, from Bramhall , Stockport , went missing after a night out in Manchester between Christmas and New Year last year – sparking a massive police hunt. Tragically, his body was found two days later in a remote location underneath a railway arch in Castlefield, near to Deansgate Station. Tests later showed he had injuries sustained in a fall. Around 50 of Adam’s friends and members of his family, including his parents Chris and Chantal and brother Ben, gathered in the city centre last night to launch balloons in his memory one year on from his death. Poignant messages were attached to the balloons. A photo of Adam surrounded by candles was central to the memorial event and his favourite song was played, Everlasting Light by The Black Keys. After the tribute, Adam’s friends and family went out on patrol in the city centre with the Manchester Street Angels, a group set up following Adam’s death after a campaign by radio station Key 103 to help make Manchester safer. Volunteers, backed by the city centre policing team, patrol the streets on weekends after dark in a bid to help and support vulnerable young people. Adam’s family today paid tribute to an ‘incredible’ response and thanked all those who took part in the memorial and patrols. His dad Chris said: “It’s just been incredible. To see so many of Adam’s friends and our friends turn up meant everything to us. We couldn’t get through any of this without the people around us. “Christmas has been really hard and this has been really hard to do, but obviously we are glad to be out here doing something. “We wanted to mark the date in some way and I think to come back here, even though it’s a sad place for us, it’s also a place where we can remember Adam. He had happy times here and his friends did so I think it’s worked out nice.” Adam’s friends who were out with on on the night he went missing also joined the memorial and patrols. The Street Angels volunteer network is funded partly through proceeds of crime legislation but a fundraising drive, called Adam’s Christmas Angels, has now topped the £9,000 mark. All money raised will go towards the project. To donate visit www.gofundme.com/adam-pickup. To volunteer, visit www.facebook.com/ManchesterStreetAngels. Source
A new book tells the incredible story of the Street Angels and the difference the project has made not only in Halifax - but worldwide. Halifax-born Paul Blakey MBE launched Halifax Street Angels in November 2005 after seeing the problems the town faced first hand. His recently published book, Street Angels, tells how the project went from an idea to a model which has changed communities for the better across the country, and further afield. Paul said: “I was inspired to set up Halifax Street Angels after seeing the need for it in Halifax town centre, it was known as the Wild West of West Yorkshire. “On any given Friday or Saturday night there were between 8,000 and 12,000 people in the town centre, violence had become fairly common, sexual assaults had unfortunately become fairly common, there was underage drinking, binge drinking and the town had really become a no-go area. “What we saw on Friday and Saturday nights was quite horrendous - we regularly saw people throwing up, people wandering around with broken bottles, vomit all over the floor, blood all over the floor and people laying in gutters.” This experience led Paul, and his wife Jean, to open the town’s fairtrade cafe up as a safe space and work with the police to make a difference. The results were dramatic. “In the first six weeks we helped 69 different people, ranging from elderly people that had gone to the theatre and walking them from the theatre to the bus stop, to a 14 year old girl who came up to us in the town centre four years later to tell us that the night had changed her life. “She told us that because of the help and support we gave her, she realised her life was worth more than the life she was living. “There’s now stories like that across the country, from the people we have helped.” Following the success story of the Halifax Street Angels, the police recognised it as a model which worked and could be emulated in other towns facing similar issues. And to accommodate the expansion of Street Angels, Paul founded the Christian Nightlife Initiatives (CNI) Network in July 2008 - which he now works on full time. Now, more than 100 towns and cities across the UK have launched similar projects and schemes now also run in Magaluf, Ibiza and Tenerife. “One of the hallmarks of the Street Angels projects across the country is that violent crime comes down, it reduces significantly,” Paul said. “It’s about having people who care out on the streets of the town, simply caring for other people. “One of our mottos is love the person in front of you and that can make such a massive impact and difference.” In 2010, Paul was awarded an MBE and in 2012, received the Big Society award from David Cameron Source
A POLICE chief has praised teams of “street angels” after they earned Government recognition. Cleveland’s Police and Crime Commissioner Barry Coppinger has spent time out on the streets with teams of Street Angels across the Tees Valley, including the team which looks after revellers in Hartlepool. Now, after working alongside Middlesbrough MP Andy McDonald, Mr Coppinger was delighted to see an Early Day Motion tabled in the House of Commons in recognition of the tireless work of the Hartlepool Town Pastors, Boro Angels, Guisborough Nightlights,Redcar Beacons, Stockton Town Pastors and other street angel programmes. Early Day Motions help to draw attention to events, campaigns, or good work and demonstrate the backing for a cause by collecting supportive signatures from MPs and they can be debated in Parliament. In support of the street angel programmes, the motion highlights that 6,500 hours of voluntary work was carried out in the last year, first aid was given to more than 160 people, and volunteers recovered more than 4,500 bottles and glasses from the streets and helped 76 vulnerable people into taxis. Hartlepool’s revellers may know of the street angels as ‘the people who hand out the flip-flops and lollipops’ – but their work is much more than that. They provide a voluntary service on the streets, helping those in need, offering support and advice, and being a helpful addition to the emergency services. Mr Coppinger said: “I have been out on the streets with volunteers over recent months and have seen first-hand their passion for helping people and keeping Cleveland safe. “These volunteers are giving their own free time on cold and dark nights and although they are volunteering throughout the year, Christmas is a poignant time to celebrate their work. “Street angels show the true spirit of community and it’s absolutely right that their work is commended in this way. “I’m sure the areas other MPs will follow suit in supporting this motion.” Steve Brock, who coordinates the teams across the Tees Valley, said: “I’m absolutely delighted that this EDM has been tabled. “Our volunteers have a huge heart for the towns in which they work and provide a caring and compassionate presence at a time when individuals can find themselves vulnerable and in need of help. “We are able spend time with people and provide a listening ear for those who just want to talk, and provide practical assistance whenever we can.” |
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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 |