Author: Paul Linford

Plans to set up a Street Angels project in Belper have taken several steps forward over the past fortnight following a successful open meeting to discuss the idea.

More than 30 members of the public attended the meeting at the Queen’s Head pub on Chesterfield Road, including representatives of Belper Town Council, Derbyshire County Council and Derbyshire police.

A management committee to oversee the project has also now been formed and we are close to reaching our initial target of 16 volunteers.

All being well, it is envisaged that the first group of Angels will be taking to the streets in early June, with a public launch planned for later that month.

For those who are new to the idea, Street Angels is a network of local organisations across the country whose common purpose is to make a difference by helping to improve our night-time culture.

Working alongside the police, they are trained to be a visible presence amongst the nightlife that congregates on the streets and estates of any town on a weekend evening

The idea is that teams of two or three would walk agreed areas in Belper’s estates and town centre between 8pm and 12pm every Friday night, with a focus on the needs of young people in particular.

We hope they will become an increasing presence at some of the town’s events and throughout the year, particularly as evenings become busier over the course of the summer with the many attractions Belper offers.

Further information about the project can be found on this powerpoint presentation which was given to Belper churches during March.

There has also been coverage of the project on local website Belper People, while project co-ordinator the Rev Rachel Marszalek will be writing about it in the June edition of local magazine All Things Local.

Anyone over the age of 18 who has a heart for their community can become a Street Angel, and training in areas such as first aid, safeguarding and drug and alcohol awareness will be provided.

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Luke Norman on belperstreetangelsvolunteers@rocketmail.com

Hope for Belper is to explore the idea of launching a Street Angels initiative in the town.  

Street Angels is a network of local organisations across the country whose common purpose is to make a difference by helping to improve our night-time culture.

Working alongside the police, it aims to be a visible presence in the community that provides care and practical support to people in need, helps people access support, and listens to people who are in distress or at risk of physical harm.

The idea is that teams of two or three would walk agreed areas in Belper’s estates between 8pm and 12pm every Friday night, with a focus on the needs of young people in particular.

While Belper does not face some of the regular late night issues that larger towns and cities face, our research and consultations suggest that there may be a role for Street Angels to get alongside young people in particular out and about in our estates.

Our aims are to provide a listening ear, to sign post where there is need and ultimately to build cross-generational community cohesion, one of the founding principles of Hope for Belper.

We need a minimum of 16 adult volunteers who can commit to one Friday night a month to launch and with this in mind we are holding an open meeting to explore the idea further.

It will take place on Monday 16th April at 8pm in the back bar of the Queen’s Head pub on Chesterfield Road, Belper.

The meeting will be an opportunity to explain in a bit more detail what Street Angels could be here in Belper, and for volunteers to find out more about the roles that need to be filled.

More information can be found by clicking on the following link: Hope for Belper – Street Angels powerpoint