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LADY luck has smiled on the angels working round the clock to keep us safe this Christmas. When a fire erupted in the En-Vogue club sign, next door to the base of Bolton Street Angels, the voluntary group's efforts were thrown into doubt. But despite the hasty evacuation from the Bradshawgate unit, the angels, whose numbers are now down to 25 having launched in 2009, are still in business. Bolton Street Angels, which mostly gives first aid and arrange travel home for clubbers, operates in Bolton every Saturday night, but is adding Boxing Day and New Year's Eve to its festive list. The current home, formerly a Pizza takeaway, was undamaged despite the fire, while the group's equipment survived as well. Adrienne Tonge, from the Street Angels, said: "We administer first aid where it is required. "Some just need to calm down before getting into a taxi to get home. This place is a safe place where they can sober up. "We will deal with 20 people that will probably need a good degree of assistance. "Fifteen of those might have required an ambulance without us and the police would not know what to do with them." Easing the burden on the emergency services, on busy nights such as Mad Friday when five people were arrested in the town centre, is a chief aim for the Street Angels. The surroundings, with club music from neighbouring En-Vogue pounding through the walls, are hardly peaceful, but Ms Tonge is grateful they have such a prominent spot in Bradshawgate. She added: "We are lucky to have this spot, and the club owner has no issues with us using it. "Our help can be very simple, such as charging someone's phone so they can contact their friends or parents to come and get them. "Even that is helping them to help themselves, and avoiding someone walking home alone, for example, and being vulnerable." After five years operating, Ms Tonge and the group are facing increasing problems with decreasing numbers. She said: "We are down to 25 now which is really tough. "Pre-loading is a big issue now, with lots of people drinking before they come out. "It is not helping the night-time economy for people to get drunk very quickly as things deteriorate. "Things have declined since we started. "It is not solely a Bolton issue. It is the idea of people going out to get really, really drunk as the aim of the night. "Rather than going out simply to have a good time." If you are interested in becoming a Bolton Street Angel visit www.boltonstreetangels.org/ or visit its website. Redcar Beacons feature on BBC Look North (Cumbria) - click here (video)
Redcar street angels help the vulnerable over Christmas. They aim to provide a caring presence to everyone who ventures out on the streets in the North East and Cumbria over Christmas. Street angels, or pastors, will be spending their evenings over the festive period helping everyone from revellers to the vulnerable and homeless. In Cumbria and Tyneside, more people are needed to join their teams as the winter takes its toll on recruits. Anne Connelly, founder of the Redcar Beacons, started the charity one month ago and said she "cares very much" about the community and wanted to help those in need. Source - online copy of the motion
Early day motion 651 CLEVELAND STREET ANGELS
Media Release from Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner: Cleveland’s Police and Crime Commissioner Barry Coppinger and Middlesbrough MP Andy McDonald have taken their praise for the Cleveland street angel schemes one step further through an Early Day Motion to Parliament. Mr McDonald tabled the motion to the House of Commons in recognition of the tireless work of the Boro Angels, Guisborough Nightlights, Hartlepool Town Pastors, 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. Cleveland’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. MP Andy McDonald said: "I’ve been aware of the excellent and valuable work of these volunteers for some time and in my own constituency where their dedication is vital in helping to keep the town safe for residents and visitors. "They are a credit to Cleveland and I’m delighted to be able to commend them for their work by tabling the Early Day Motion to the House of Commons. I urge other MPs to acknowledge the work of street angel programs in their towns and show their support by signing the motion." Police and Crime Commissioner Barry Coppinger added: "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." Cleveland programme co-ordinator Steve Brock said: "I’m absolutely delighted that this Early Day Motion 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." The Early Day Motion can be found through this link: http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2014-15/651 Source
BOLTON Street Angels are thanking their lucky stars after they were able to return to their new town centre home in time for Christmas. Members of the voluntary group had feared they would be left without a home over the busy festive period after a fire ripped through the sign of the nightclub next door. The blaze at En-Vogue in Bradshawgate started at about 10.30pm on Friday night after an electrical short circuit in the club's light-up sign. The Street Angels had moved into the club’s empty neighbouring unit – previously a takeaway – earlier this month and had found it the ideal location. On Saturday volunteers thought the base would be out of use for weeks and feared they had lost a lot of their valuable first aid equipment, coats and flip flops that were stockpiled there. But now, in what is being hailed as a Christmas miracle, volunteers have discovered the venue and equipment – aside from smelling strongly of smoke – is largely undamaged. Adrienne Tonge, from Bolton Street Angels, said: “Amazingly it seems all of the damage was in the fascia box outside - it didn’t get into the building. “Electricians checked out the site on Saturday and by Saturday night we were back using the unit next to En-Vogue. “It is a fantastic venue and it makes such a difference to us being in that central position – over the festive period we really need to be at the heart of things.” Mrs Tonge thanked Steve Hoyle, owner of Downtown, for letting the Street Angels use his premises temporarily on Friday night and En-Vogue owner Giuseppe Granata for providing the unit. Members of the Street Angels team raised the alarm with En-Vogue’s management and door staff after smoke poured through a ventilation shaft in the ceiling of the unit. Bar staff quickly evacuated hundreds of revellers from the club before police arrived to take over the evacuation and cordon off the road. Mrs Tonge added: “The five of us grabbed our personal belongings and got out – all we had was what we were wearing, and as much first aid equipment and flip flops as we could carry for two patrols. “We ran out of flip flops by 12am and saw many more people who needed them." The group hands out flip flops to people who are struggling to walk in uncomfortable footwear. “It was the busiest night of the year so we just did what we could with what we had available, and helped a lot of people get home safely,” said Mrs Tonge. Source (with video)
Friends of teenager Adam Pickup will go on patrol with Manchester Street Angels to mark the first anniversary of his death. Adam, 17, from Stockport, went missing following a night out in Manchester on December 28 last year. His body was discovered on wasteland near Deansgate Station two days later. A campaign was set up by radio station Key 103 to recruit teams of volunteers to help make Manchester safer. Manchester Street Angels began patrolling the city’s streets on November 14. Volunteers aim to help those who have become vulnerable through alcohol every Friday between 10pm and 2am. Adam’s father Chris and mother Chantal Pickup have been supporting the project, along with his brother Ben. They have set up Adam’s Christmas Angel Appeal to help raise the vital funds needed to keep the voluntary-run scheme going. Chris said: “The public support never ceases to amaze us. “Not only are members of the community giving up their time to go on patrol at night, we are also receiving a generous amount of donations to help support such a good cause.” Adam’s family are also planning to release dozens of balloons at midnight outside Great Northern on Saturday December 27 to mark a year since he disappeared. Chris said: “We want to do something to remember our son who died in such unfortunate circumstances. Had Angels been on the streets that night, things may have been very different. “Adam’s friends who were out with him that night also want to do their bit by going on patrol a year on from when they lost their friend.” The teams currently patrol Deansgate and Deansgate Locks, but plan to expand their patrols. Rachel Goddard, the chair of Manchester Street Angels and a volunteer, said: “The support we have had from the police, the Manchester 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.” To volunteer, visit www.manchesterstreetangels.com. Source
Police in West Yorkshire have praised revellers for kick starting the Christmas holiday week ‘in the right spirit’ following a largely peaceful Friday evening. Senior officers said Mad Friday - Friday December 19, had largely passed off without incident with call volumes no higher than usual for a weekend and with many revellers appearing to get into the festive spirit and enjoy themselves safely. Extra numbers of police officers and PCSOs were on patrol across the force area last night with support from Special Constables and partner agencies, to ensure a strong and visible police presence in city and town centres. Chief Superintendent Angela Williams, District Commander of Calderdale Police, said: “I was on foot patrol in Halifax town centre with colleagues until the early hours and what we found was that while the town was far busier than on a normal Friday night, people were generally well behaved, in good spirits and enjoying the festivities. “There were long queues outside clubs as you would expect, but we found queuing was orderly and our local door staff were very professional at managing the situation. “I would also like to pass on my thanks to our local taxi drivers for the quick and efficient way in which they were dealt with waiting fares and our Street Angels who assisted those who were a bit worse for wear and helped keep them safe. “We policed according to plans developed to make sure we had appropriate result on the night and are looking forward to running similar operations throughout the remainder of the festive season.” Source
BOLTON’S Street Angels have lost their new home after a fire ripped through the front sign of the nightclub next door. Volunteers are searching for a temporary base for the busy festive period after an electrical short circuit sparked a blaze inside the fascia of En-Vogue in Bradshawgate at about 10.30pm last night. Bolton Street Angels had just moved into the club’s empty neighbouring unit – previously a takeaway – and had found it an ideal town centre location. Adrienne Tonge, from the group, said team members had hoped the empty unit was to be their home for the foreseeable future. Now volunteers fear they will not be able to use the base over Christmas and have lost valuable first aid equipment, coats and flip flops they had stockpiled there. Mrs Tonge said: “The unit was going to be a perfect base for us for the Christmas period and we were so grateful to get it. “But the night we needed it most, it all went wrong. “The five of us grabbed our personal belongings and got out – all we had was what we were wearing, and as much first aid equipment and flip flops as we could carry for two patrols. “We ran out of flip flops by 12am and saw many more people who needed them." The group hands out flip flops to people who are struggling to walk in uncomfortable footwear. Mrs Tonge added: “It was the busiest night of the year so we just did what we could with what we had available, and helped a lot of people get home safely. “All of the stock we have built up over the years was on the premises and I very much doubt it will be retrievable now.” Members of the Street Angels team raised the alarm with En-Vogue’s management and door staff after smoke poured through a ventilation shaft in the ceiling of the unit. Bar staff quickly evacuated hundreds of revellers from the club before police arrived to take over the evacuation and cordon off the road. The Street Angels now expect the base to be out of use for some time due to damage to the lighting and electrics, and are again looking for a new home. Mrs Tonge added: “My expectation is that all the lighting in the room will have to come down so I do not think there is any way we will be using the base in the next few weeks.” The Bolton Street Angels team are due to meet with Steve Hoyle, owner of Downtown and chairman of Bolton’s pub watch group, today to discuss temporary accommodation. One eyewitness, who did not want to be named, said: “It was such a busy night in Bolton last night, everywhere was heaving, and it could have been far more serious had the club not been evacuated so quickly. “It was just lucky the fire did not spread any further.” Bolton Central watch manager Tony McKenna said: "The fire has been caused by electrical short-circuiting and was well-developed in the timber of the structure. "This was very close to being a fully fledged building fire but luckily crews were able to deal with it.” Relief crews from Bolton Central and Farnworth left the scene at 3.10am, and Bradshawgate was closed to traffic for several hours. Rosalino Granata, the owner of En-Vogue and the unit next door, was unavailable for comment. Anyone who can donate first aid equipment, flip flops or coats to the Street Angels to replace what has been lost should call Mrs Tonge on 07538 349686 or email [email protected]. Source
Hundreds of people are expected to flock to bars and pubs across Halifax in the run up to Christmas. And today will be one of the busiest days of the year as revellers embrace what’s become known as “Mad Friday” and get into the festive spirit. At the same time, the Halifax Street Angels will be out in force to promote safety in the town centre and offer support to those who have become vulnerable. The project was launched in November 2005 as a response by the church in Halifax to an epidemic of binge drinking, violence , a growing number of serious sexual assaults and under-age drinking in pubs and clubs. So much so the town became a no-go area for many people on Friday and Saturday nights. But after a six-week trial, the project had helped and assisted 69 people and twelve months later violent crime in the town centre had reduced by 42 per cent. Nine years on, the work of the dedicated Street Angel volunteers is as integral to the town as it was in 2005 and preparations for “Mad Friday” begins months in advance. Ellis King, Manager of Halifax Street Angels, said: “We’ve changed slightly in the way we work on Mad Friday - because we are expecting it to be quite a bit busier, we’ll be running from 8pm until 4am. “This is a couple of hours earlier for us as people will have been out from earlier in the day. Preparations will be in place for it being lairier than usual and we’ll be setting up a first aid stall in the town centre - to really maximise the amount of help and support we can give people. “We will just be prepared to be quite a bit busier and we’ll be in contact and conversation with the police so that we can make sure that support is there. “The whole Christmas and New Year period tends to have such a large influx of people into the town centre, it all strings together as one big event we have to prepare for a month or two in advance. “A lot of thought goes into it and we take time to think about how we are going to approach things and what we are going to do.” The work of the Halifax Street Angels covers a wide remit - from picking up glass bottles and administering first aid to handing out flip-flops if the strain of walking in heels becomes too much for some, cleaning people up after fights and giving out directions. And at the Angels Rest Cafe, Crossley Street, there is always a friendly face to offer a helping hand and support to those who need it. “We have a point where people can charge their phones, people can come in and we will call them a taxi or if people are stranded and they need to contact a member of the family we can do that,” Ellis added. “Anything we can do, that is reasonable, we will to do help. “So much of the work we do is preventative - it’s hard to really give statistics because we don’t know what could have happened. A lot of the people we help could have ended up in fights and become a violence statistic or they could have ended up as victims and gone on to A&E, but we just keep doing it believing that ultimately it’s the right thing to do. “Underneath it all is that we don’t judge, as long as they are with us and they are not being aggressive, we will help.” From mid-2013 to mid-2014, the Halifax Street Angels helped more than 3,000 people and dedicated around 12,000 hours to keep the town’s streets safe. Ellis said: “I like to think that we are making a big difference, “You get to see there and then the person you are helping, you actually build a bit of a relationship with them, you want to help them and get to know them sometimes. “Some people are very open and want to talk and sometimes you have people who are just vulnerable and want to have a chat.” Now, to spread the message Ellis has created a ‘safe night out’ workshop which is delivered to schools, colleges and youth clubs across the district. “There’s nothing more than an emphasis on being safe,” he added “I put something together that offered practical advice on how to be safe and it was really well received. “It’s getting people to think - one part of safe night out is my presentation on alcohol, drug and crime awareness and the other half is a basic first aid lesson. “The idea is that they have the information, resources and skills to make informed, decent choices.” Source
Teams are out across the UK for what's expected to be the busiest night of the year for emergency services. The final Friday before Christmas is the most popular night for office parties and other festive celebrations, with sales of alcohol expected to rise by 144%. Last year, more booze was sold in pubs, bars and restaurants on 'Mad Friday' than on New Year's Eve. Police and ambulance bosses have urged party-goers to drink responsibly, as many services are already stretched at this time of year. It comes as health experts have also launched a campaign today to encourage people to take a break from alcohol for 'Dry January'. Paul Blakeley MBE is the founder of 'Street Angels' who provide voluntary help and advice to people on nights out. Tonight they'll have teams at roughly 130 different towns and cities across the UK. He tells Premier they see "all sorts" when they're out among the night time economy and admits that drinking alcohol is embedded "in our psyche"; "There's something about the British culture that says 'drink and drink and drink and drink' and our role is just to encourage people to drink responsibly, I think that's the big underlying message. "Once you've had a few drinks your whole perception of what's safe and what's not safe changes. He has this advice for anyone planning on going out who wants to have a fun, safe Friday night: "Don't drink on an empty stomach; Know how you're going to get home at the end of the evening; "Make sure that if you go out with a group of friends you keep an eye on all your friends so you know where they all are; "And think about mixing your alcohol with water or soft drinks, so that you're not drinking quite so much." Listen to the full interview with Paul Blakely MBE and Premier's Holly Powell-Jones. Source
ST Andrew's Church, Skipton, is full of Christmas trees. It is busy staging its annual Christmas Tree Festival for which visitors come from near and far. The trees are designed and prepared by a variety of Skipton people and groups. Among this year's contributors is the St Andrew's Walking Group, which organises a walk of five miles each first Sunday afternoon of the month. Its tree emphasises the walking connection with small woolly items (like hats, scarves and rucksacks knitted by a member of the group), the benefits and joys of walking and the idea of pilgrimage, signalled by the scallop shell images. The trees can be seen in the church at the carol service on Sunday at 10.30am. This year the money raised from the festival will go to support Skipton Street Angels and the Mpika Relief Fund in Zambia. Source
Blackpool’s Fairness Commission is asking people to look after each other during the town’s Christmas party season. The Enjoy and Respect campaign will see volunteers, along with police, street angels and taxi drivers, urging party-goers to be safe and sensible in the evenings. Each of the groups will be out ahead of the last Friday night before Christmas, to urge people to enjoy to festivities safely and sensibly. The campaign, which first launched last year, was started by the Fairness Commission’s night time economy working group, headed up by Chief Superintendent Stuart Noble. He said: “This has been a great opportunity for partners involved in the town centre to come together and support a shared vision which is to have a vibrant and safe night-time economy. “The message is clear –come and enjoy Blackpool but please respect it and each other.” Fairness Commission chairman Dr Arif Rajpura said: “It’s Christmas party season and people are going to want to go out and have a good time. That’s great and we hope they enjoy themselves. “But there’s a serious message here, too. This is a family friendly resort and we don’t want people to ruin that image by being violent or by vandalising property.” Daily Mail / FeMail
The Telegraph Leigh Journal Express and Star Police, bouncers and hospital workers are gearing up for one of the busiest weekends of the year as the staff Christmas party season reaches its climax. The final weekend before Christmas will be marked by a spike in corporate festive gatherings, with pubs, bars and clubs preparing for bumper sales. Tomorrow is considered by police to be the busiest night for Christmas parties, with many forces already tweeting words of advice for would-be revellers. Party planners have said firms are beginning to splash the cash again this year, having emerged from the shadows of the economic slump which has blighted recent shindigs. And social media experts reckon the potential for long-term damage to their reputation is causing some people to tone down their antics - or forgo the festivities altogether - through fear that their drunken exploits will be the talk of the Twitter feed. Digital communications expert Warren Knight said: "People are 100% being more sensible than ever before because of social media - reputations can be lost in one night. "Staff are behaving better, reducing their alcohol consumption or even deciding against going to their party because they don't want to end up doing something silly they later regret. "Instant communication, Instagram posts and checking-in facilities mean it is very difficult to delete something once it is online. "People I speak to say the office Christmas party is getting more and more tame." Street pastors are already turning to social media in an effort to use it as a force for good during party season. Christian Nightlife Initiatives have launched a #StaySafe campaign reminding revellers of responsible drinking and appropriate behaviour. A spokesman said: "This Friday is one of the busiest nights within the night-time economy - the last Friday before Christmas. Generally it is also one of the busiest nights for police, ambulance, Accident & Emergency and street patrol projects such as Street Angels." Their tips include drinking plenty of water, staying in groups of friends, and keeping money back to afford transport home at the end of the evening. Georgina Coleman, from bespoke venue operator Late Night London, said the Christmas party is enjoying a bumper year. She said: "There are more cranes around London this year, more buildings going up, and that is a useful indicator of a change in the economy. "We have seen a marked increase in the number of inquiries about Christmas parties, budgets have increased too, and the spend per head. "People are also looking for something different - they don't necessarily want to hit the bar, they want something civilised and often with a sit-down meal or some sort of activity such as cocktail-making. "This is only the first year after the economic slump so it's hard to draw too many conclusions but the signs are encouraging." Source
A TEAM of ‘street angels’ is preparing for one of its busiest nights of the year tomorrow as the Christmas party season gets into full swing. Hartlepool Town Pastors patrol the streets of the drinking hotspots of Victoria Road and Church Street from 10.30pm until the early hours each Friday and Saturday throughout the year. But tomorrow night - on what is widely regarded as “Black Eye Friday” - the teams dubbed as ‘Street Angels’ are expecting to be busy with revellers hitting the nightspots earlier than usual at the start of their Christmas holidays. Drew Mills, who runs the Town Pastors in Hartlepool, said two teams of three volunteers will be out on the streets to give help to anyone who needs it. Drew said: “Boxing Day is our busiest day of the year, but tomorrow night isn’t too far behind it. “People are in a good mood on Boxing Day, they’re out spending their Christmas money and in good spirits. “It’s a different atmosphere on Black Eye Friday. people finish work early when the shops and offices close, and they are often starting their holidays. “They are in the pubs early, and they stay out. So by the time we go out about 10.30pm, there are a larger than usual number of people who have already had a bit too much to drink. “We are there to help, and we work closely with the police and the doorstaff at the various pubs. Sometimes people can’t find a taxi if they’re a bit worse for wear, or they may need some water. “Some people just want to chat if they find themselves a bit emotional. We cover a wide range of issues, and if there is a situation where it looks like it could turn violent then we either try to nip it in the bud or call for help from police or doorstaff. “Hopefully people can just go out and enjoy themselves without getting into any trouble.” |
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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 |