Whitby Street Angels 'concerned' about reducing patrols due to lack of volunteers
The group only has five active members at the moment
Last updated 27th Feb 2023
People in Whitby are being urged to consider becoming a Street Angel to make the town a safer place.
They currently patrol fortnightly on Saturday nights instead of weekly because they only have around five active members and they need around 20.
We told you earlier about an increase in bars and nightclubs in the town centre has brought concerns about the lack of police visibility.
Pam Boland has been a volunteer with Whitby Street Angels for around seven years. She said: "It's a lovely thing to do. It's just camaraderie. The door staff, we all just work as a team. The Street Angels are mobile versions of the door staff and we do what we can. We all feel cushioned and supported by the door staff as much as anyone.
"If you did volunteer, I don't want anyone to think that they're alone because you're not. Whatever skills you've got, there's training we can do. Just come out and give it a go. You don't have to commit.
"Soemtimes I believe that we dissipate trouble just by being here with people thinking 'we'd better behave ourselves because they're out there and they're watching us.' The revellers are really, really lovely. They come from all over the place to come here and they appreciate it. They're the ones who say what a good job we're doing."
Pam has been speaking to Greatest Hits Radio's Karen Liu:
Sandra Turner is also a volunteer and she said: "With the Street Angels, we can manage often to defuse situations and calm things down, but we don't have enough volunteers. We're only out twice a month instead of every weekend. Police are essential for helping people and preventing a situation from getting worse."
If anyone is interested in volunteering, visit their Facebook page or website.