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"STREET Angels" could soon be on patrol in Mole Valley.
The term refers to religious volunteers who walk the streets at night and offer help to people who are drunk, homeless, injured or in distress. The project has operated across the UK for the last four years, and the Advertiser understands Surrey Police is in talks about setting up a group covering Dorking and Leatherhead. Lin Haynes, co-ordinator of Guildford Street Angels, said: "Our aim is to go out to the town's streets at night and try to ensure that people are safe. "We are from church backgrounds, but we don't mention that unless we are asked, so it is just about trying to ensure the safety of people who are out and about enjoying themselves." Mrs Haynes says the scheme has been successful in Guildford and other towns including Camberley, Walton-on-Thames, Woking and Staines. "Since we have been going out the police have told us that there has been a significant reduction in public violence and we are seeing this ourselves," she said. "The nights are getting more peaceful by and large. "Guildford is quite a big town, Dorking is smaller and I don't know what the impact would be. Certainly the police in Guildford say our very presence has a positive effect on things." Guildford town centre chaplain Rod Boreham, who has been consulted by Mole Valley neighbourhood police officers, said: "What I picked up is that there are one or two areas of Dorking that might benefit. Wherever Street Angels are set up it does have a positive impact." Street Angels work with police, ambulance crews, councils and pub landlords, helping control antisocial behaviour and handing out blankets and flip-flops to people on their way home. Gurdeep Manku, landlord of The Cricketers in South Street, said: "I think it sounds like a good idea. Dorking is the sort of place that doesn't need over-policing in terms of uniformed officers. "Sometimes it just needs a more understanding approach. "If the police are being left to deal with disorder and drunkenness it can often distract them from other things."Source: http://www.thisissurreytoday.co.uk/Street-Angels-come-Dorking-Leatherhead/story-15780438-detail/story.html Comments are closed.
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