In May the Director of Hitched Communities, Gary Wootten, joined fellow professionals from the international night time economy for the 13th Club Health International Conference in Ghent. He reflects:

Besides learning from others about some brilliant innovative projects and latest challenges and thinking linked to the sector, I had been invited to talk about the impactful work of Street Angels and some of the innovative partnership working with technologist organisations such as WalkSafe used to pinpoint support and keep people safe at night.

I have had the chance to set up, lead and grow two Street Angel projects in the past two years, each now independently evaluated by University of Chester, and each able to demonstrate a positive impact with the public, stakeholders and volunteers themselves.

A walking club with an exciting twist, no two evenings are the same as volunteers walk the city or town streets from 10pm to as late as 3am.

Interventions range from first aid or emotional support for street sleepers and revellers, to signposting services and keeping streets clear of broken glass. The main aim is to love the person in front of you and help create a positive culture, putting safety first.

Care team initiatives and positive bystander effect were mentioned regularly during the conference. None were voluntary, and it was the first time a churches-led initiative had been presented. This, combined with the innovation of WalkSafe technology, brought many hopeful and curious questions from the audience about impact, sustainability, and how it can be replicated. The answers of course were linked to a desire amongst volunteers to have purpose and do something different that helped the community they loved. A togetherness amongst stakeholders and shared vision, brought via networks such as with churches, pubwatch and purple flag. And the very fact it is replicated again and again, through the support of an overarching organisation able to guide common practice and avoid pitfalls, whilst ensuring each project is locally owned and managed. Support when you need it, and when you can offer it – a family of projects that look out for each other, each with its own identity, and each designed to support the community it knows best.

My journey with Street Angels has been a rollercoaster and a delight.

Just as members of the public are impacted for years through a simple intervention at a moment of need, I am not at all surprised people stay involved for many many years.

There will be plenty more stories to share with Club Health International, and many more for us to be inspired by from others.