The Broadway, Bradford has stepped in to provide Bradford Street Angels with a new home. A private room in the Centre will be accessible for the Street Angels team every Friday without charge.
Street Angels is a Christian project with an ethos of care, compassion and practical help for whoever may need it whilst enjoying the city’s night time economy. Many of the Street Angel’s volunteers come from local churches, though as long as the ethos is respected, volunteers may come from any faith or non-faith background.
Bradford Street Angels is part of a wider national network of Street Angels. The first team started in Halifax in 2005 and there are now more than 100 across the UK.
Lorraine Betts, co-chair of Bradford Street Angels, said:
“Street Angels is a voluntary organisation that relied on funding grants and donations to rent a ‘base’ for volunteers whilst working. We’re delighted to be able to alleviate this pressure and are so grateful to The Broadway for its kind offer.
“We have a wonderful team of volunteers that work very hard from early evening right through until the early hours of the morning. It is fantastic that we are able to have a warm and safe base at The Broadway to store our personal items and to provide space for rest between patrols.”
Patrolling in teams of three or four, the Street Angels provide a listening ear to those who need to talk, or can provide support to the more vulnerable people they see during their patrol of the city’s streets.
Ian Ward, general manager at The Broadway, said:
“We firmly believe that The Broadway is at the heart of the local community. When we heard about the space required by the Street Angel volunteers to rest and recuperate whilst conducting their voluntary work, The Broadway management team came together to decide how we could help.
“The Centre has ample space, particularly during the hours retailers are closed. We have a private space that is relaxing and spacious plus, safe and protected. We decided this was the ideal location for the Street Angel team particularly with its easy access to the streets of Bradford where the night economy is located.
“The work the Street Angels team conduct is truly admirable and we‘re delighted to provide the space free of charge to the organisation.”
There are currently 20 volunteers on the Bradford Street Angels active list, but the team are actively searching for more so that patrols can take place on a Saturday evening as well as a Friday.
For anyone wanting to get involved in Bradford Street Angels or to find out more information, contact the group through Facebook @BradfordStreetAngels
The Broadway, Bradford has more than 80 retail stores and over 20 eateries, plus an eight-screen boutique cinema.
