Street Angels will watch over Sunderland revellers
I'm no angel... and you don't have to be one either to join a volunteer patrol to help people on the city centre streets who are the worse for drink and unable to look after themselves.
Dubbed "Street Angels", they've been a long time in coming here and I'm delighted that Sunderland Street Pastors launched today and the charity is now calling on Christian church members to join their legion.
This initiative, already in place in more than 100 towns and cities in the country – including Newcastle, which has more than 40 regular volunteers – is amazingly successful.
I say amazing because they are becoming accepted in city and town centres. As 71-year-old Sunderland pensioner Doreen Moakes knows as a street pastor on Tyneside, no one is ever aggressive or abusive towards them.
As a Christian she thinks it's wonderful to be able to go out onto the streets and give pastoral care and unconditional love.
That's love in action and, as Doreen says: "It seems to me such a wonderful opportunity to get the church onto the streets and show people we are not all singing hymns, sitting in pews and praying."
Given so many have so little time for anyone but themselves, it's great that there are men and women in our community willing to give up a night – maybe once a month – for a daunting shift from 10pm to 4am and have a heart for people.
Some will be legless, throwing up, bashed up and so much the worse for wear they'll be incapable of helping themselves.
They're not a pretty sight but already a dozen folks have volunteered to help others at their point of need.
Yes, there'll be police back-up and volunteers will be working with staff in our clubs and pubs.
And no, they won't be going out to preach or, as Julie Judson, a youth worker with the Salvation Army's Southwick Community project told me: "We won't be bible-bashing or looking to preach, just be supportive to people."
She isn't daunted at the prospect and says: "It's something that is ecumenical and it's where we began.
"The Salvation Army has always been on the streets and it's always had that mission.
"For me it's an extension of my community work and Sunderland being my home city I want to be able to do something in the city community."
At 41, she's been a lifelong Salvationist and, like all volunteers, will be well-trained before hitting the streets in June in not only how to make people they meet feel safe but how to defuse a situation and avoid a conflict.
They will be handing out water to revellers who have had too much to drink, flip-flops to footsore women, first aid and much more – a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on and being a good Samaritan to many, who the morning after, may well wonder if indeed they met an angel wearing a bright yellow high visibility jacket...
If you are interested in being a volunteer call Bethany Church pastor, David Birk on 07968985664.
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Weather for Sunderland
Friday 10 February 2012
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Temperature: -3 C to 2 C
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