'We need help keeping people safe on nights out'

A charity which aims to keep vulnerable people safe on weekend nights out in Chester has appealed for fresh volunteers.

Street Angels Chester involves a roaming group of volunteers who aim to help people who have found themselves at risk in the city centre.

With summer and the new season at Chester racecourse approaching, the group said it needed as many people to help as possible.

Project leader Gary Wootten said: "No shift is the same, and there are always opportunities to make a meaningful difference in people's life, be it to de-escalate a situation, have a friendly chat, signpost to helpful organisations or assist someone to get home safely."

The Chester group, which currently has about 50 volunteers, is part of an international initiative founded in the UK by the Christian charity Reedeming Our Communities (ROC).

It has also produced a short Youtube documentary as part of its drive for new volunteers.

For Sgt Jack Bostock, of Cheshire Constabulary, ROC's help is invaluable.

"It can deter criminality, which is a huge benefit," he explained.

"Street Angels makes our life in policing a lot easier. They've all been fantastic to work with."

Wootten said volunteers sometimes clock up eight miles (13km) in a shift, walking in loops around the city centre up until the early hours of the morning.

Speaking in his group's documentary, he said: "After midnight the tone changes a little bit maybe, there will be people who are more vulnerable.

"Not many, but there will be people who need to reach out for our help."

The team cleans up glass bottles and glass shards that could be used as weapons or cause accidental injury.

One volunteer, Hilary, said: "There are a lot of vulnerable people on the street who you might not normally come across.

"There may be homeless people, there may be young people who have got themselves into a bit of a tricky situation through alcohol, they've lost their phones, and it's really rewarding to be able to help them."

Canon Missioner at Chester Cathedral and Street Angels volunteer, Reverend Anthony Lees-Smith, said: "The first time I went out with the Street Angels I was blown away by the love and appreciation people in Chester have for them. When you watch the documentary, you can understand why.

"They make a big difference in small ways."

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