Festival Angels teams are out and about over the summer at various festivals across the UK. Read more at:
Upton Folk Festival Tunes In The Dunes Friday, 21st April, saw the first night on patrol for the Angylion y Stryd team in Colwyn Bay. The team of Street Angel volunteers met at the base and safe place drop in, @20 Station Road, in Colwyn Bay town centre. Kitted out with high-vis tabards, flip-flops, bottles of water, first aid supplies, and lollipops the team took to the streets between 8pm and midnight. Early on in the evening the team patrolled the town centre, pier and promenade. They chatted to several people about the work of Street Angels and let people know that teams would be out every Friday. The later team offered some much needed help and assistance to several people ensuring they got home safely.
Suzanne Coleman, a member of Antioch church and coordinator of the Colwyn Bay project, said "We thought going out on the streets was going to be difficult but in fact it was easy, often as easy as just asking somebody how they were.' Colwyn Bay's second project will see Skate Angels supporting young people in the town's skate park. The team will set up a gazebo and offer water, snacks and spare parts to help repair broken skateboards. Korey Finch, from Conwy Youth for Christ, coordinator of the Skate Angels team comments, "The skatepark is such an important space in our community! We hope that by being there, local folks will know that they are loved and supported" Paul Blakey MBE, who founded Street Angels in Halifax in 2005, was with the team on the inaugural patrols. He said, "It has been great to share the Street Angels story and offer training to volunteers across North Wales. The positive response and conversations with those out and about in Colwyn Bay on Friday night was wonderful and shows the value in Street Angels and their aim to love the person in front of you." Rhyl will see Street Angels on patrol on some Saturday's over the summer with more volunteers needed to offer help and support to those out and about in Rhyl. Funding for these projects has come from the North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner’s Innovate to Grow initiative. This fund helps support new and innovative ways of solving the problems that can often lead to criminal behaviour in communities. Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales, Andy Dunbobbin, comments, "My Innovate to Grow initiative targets and invests in projects dealing with the root causes of crime across North Wales, especially ones that offer new and innovative ideas of preventing and tackling wrongdoing. I would like to thank the local Street Angel volunteers who have stepped up to offer their time to assist residents and visitors during the night time economy in Colwyn Bay and Rhyl.” More information is at streetangels.org.uk/northwales Cath Horne, Pioneer Minister with the South West Baptist Association, led the Porthleven Food Festival Angels team. Here is Cath's report from the weekend:
We had a team of 22 people overall with 10 folks on each shift at either 12-6pm or 6pm-1am aged from 18-80. We had some great opportunities to talk to people as well as to pray with people including one of the traders who had spilt boiling fat on his leg who let us pray with him, and others who had various medical or life issues. As the evenings went on we were able to help those who had got into a mess and because we were located in the bus stop were able to make hot drinks for and chat with hundreds of people each night. We were also able to bless the security and other teams with hot drinks and sweets throughout the night giving us great opportunities to chat and share. The Mayor came to personally thank us and I am meeting with him this week to talk about how the festival can be even better at helping people. Stall holders, local shops and the local people were so grateful to the team and showed us lots of love and are desperate for us to come back again next year. I was interviewed for local radio and able to talk about what we were doing and why. Our presence changed the atmosphere and God was able to work in ways that were seen and unseen. It was such a privilege to be part of God at work – the whole team were amazing and we loved it! Festival Angels are heading to Download Festival at Donington Park in June.
The teams of volunteers will be running Information Hubs based on campsites for the duration of the festival which runs from Wednesday 7th June through to Monday 12th June. Download Festival is an annual mammoth five day rock event and will include acts such as Metallica, Evanescence and Slipknot. Festival Angels is a Christian organisation who work at several major UK music festivals including Leeds Festival, Kendal Calling and Creamfields. Paul Blakey MBE, the founder of Street Angels and coordinator of Download Festival Angels, says, "This is our first year at Download which is the UK's biggest rock and metal festival attracting ninety five thousand festival goers. Festival Angels will be running two Information Hubs in camp site areas offering practical support and assistance. This is a great opportunity for the church to be visible at this major event and show that Jesus Loves Festivals." To sign up as a volunteer visit festivalangels.org.uk/download. Volunteers need to be aged 18+ and commit to 20 hours of volunteering over the 6 days. |
ROC Angels NewsThis blog is a place for stories and news updates from within the ROC Angels family. |
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 |