Happy 5th Birthday Halifax Street Angels
Street Angels is celebrating five years working on the streets of Halifax today, Thursday 25th November. The initiative, which was started by Churches Together in Halifax and Halifax YMCA in response to needs in the town centre on Friday and Saturday nights, has gone from strength to strength since its foundation in 2005.
To celebrate the group launched the fifth Annual Report which is available to download at www.streetangels.org.uk . This celebrates all that Street Angels – Christian Nightlife Initiatives have achieved over the last year.
In Halifax the group have directly assisted with over 700 incidents, helped steward at 19 community events, invested over 5700 volunteer hours into the town and helped Halifax gain a Purple Flag award - a gold standard for a safe and vibrant night-time economy. The scheme has also contributed to a continued reduction in violent crime and sexual assaults and, during October 2010, dealt with five first aid incidents where the need to call an ambulance and subsequent A&E visit was averted, saving an estimated £2500.
Nationally Street Angels, and similar projects, are running in over seventy towns and cities contributing thousands of volunteer hours annually and showing the Big Society in action. The scheme has won support this year from a wide range of national organisations who support the work carried out by amazing teams of volunteers.
Commenting on the value of having these projects nationally, Commissioner John Matear, Territorial Commander of The Salvation Army, United Kingdom with the Republic of Ireland said
“Experiencing something of the work and ministry of Street Angels myself over recent months, I am delighted to endorse the national strategy Street Angels has to provide a visible, strong and strategic presence within communities around the UK in the name of Christ.”
The Bishop of Pontefract, The Right Reverend Tony Robinson added his own congratulations to the group on being operating for five years,
“Congratulations to Halifax Street Angels on their first five years! Who would have thought that the idea of going out onto the streets of Halifax every Friday and Saturday evening would have been such a great witness. Thank you to all those who have braved the weather and given up sleep to do this very valuable work. Long may it continue!”
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