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Surrey PCC joins Street Angels for overnight shift

Bob Dale
BBC News, South East
Surrey PCC Lisa Townsend stands in Guildford railway station, flanked by two members of the Street Angels. All three are wearing branded jackets.Surrey PCC
Surrey PCC Lisa Townsend (centre) visited Guildford station with the town's Street Angels

Surrey's Police and Crime Commissioner has spent a night with a group of volunteers who help revellers get home safely.

Lisa Townsend joined the Guildford Street Angels on one of their regular 10:30-04:30 Saturday shifts.

The group helps people find their way home and offers support to those who are vulnerable or homeless.

The group receives £5,000 from the commissioner's office each year.

Ms Townsend said: "We've visited the train station, where we know trouble can happen during the evenings.

"We've spoken with door staff at a range of venues around the town and stopped to chat to young people enjoying their night out.

"Most people will know [the Angels] for the lollipops, as well as the flip-flops they give to those who have given up on uncomfortable shoes, but all who encounter the team will remember their kindness and care."

Surrey PCC Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend stands in Guildford town centre flanked by five members of the Street Angels team, all wearing branded jackets.Surrey PCC
The Street Angels have been helping revellers and the vulnerable in Guildford for 17 years

The group has been running in Guildford for 17 years, with volunteers giving up one Friday or Saturday night a month.

The current team of 50 estimates it encounters 3,400 people, including 50 homeless people, and pick up more than 3,100 bottles in an average year.

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