Practical care in Guildford Town Centre on Friday & Saturday nights

Street Angels are a team of volunteers that patrol Guildford town centre on Friday & Saturday nights, providing practical care and support to anyone who has found themselves in a vulnerable state. This could be a result of alcohol, drugs, homelessness, assault, and many more. The Street Angels are there to help people have a good time and to get home safe, with no strings attached.

Click on the video to the right to hear from our volunteers.

The Street Angel teams operate every Friday & Saturday night, all year round, starting at 10.30 pm, until around 4 am; each Street Angel commits to volunteer for 1 night every 4 weeks. Volunteers are over 18, are DBS checked, interviewed and receive specialist training to prepare them for the role.

Street Angels have been serving people on Guildford’s streets since October 2008 and make a positive impact on crime and antisocial behaviour by providing a calming presence late at night. Over the years GTCC has nurtured and developed great working relationships with the local organisations and venues which results in effective collaboration when our volunteers are out.

They also support other events & establishments, e.g. Fresher’s week, Alcohol Awareness events, the Guildford Retirement Fayre, the University Open days, helping to make Guildford a more welcoming place for prospective students, and reassuring the students of our presence in the town.

Could you be a Street Angel?

Do you have some spare time and feel motivated to do something that could make a difference in someone’s life?

  • Are you 18 or over?
  • Could you care for people who are vulnerable on a night out in town – especially but not exclusively young people?
  • Are you a good listener & can you be non-judgmental in your approach to people who might live by differing values to your own?
  • Are you a good team player?
  • Can you commit to being out on the streets 1 night every 4 weeks? – between 10 pm – 4 am?

We recruit new Street Angel volunteers twice a year, in Spring and in Autumn. You could come out for a ‘taster’ night with our teams to see if this is something you would feel able to do. You can arrange this at any time, even if you are only just beginning to consider volunteering with us.

Contact our Street Angels Co-ordinator, Ben Pitt, either by e-mail at streetangels@gtcc.org.uk  or telephone on 07717 876853. You will always be welcome to come and have a look at what we do.

Angela Gammage

Street Angels Coordinator

Angela Gammage

Contact Street Angels

Need more information about Street Angels, want to make a donation or get involved?

Email Street Angels
Get Involved

Or call : 07717 876853

What people say about Street Angels

“My daughter was recently helped by the Street Angels; until then, I had not heard of them. When I looked at their website, I was hugely impressed with the compassionate open-minded support they offer people in times of vulnerability. My night as an observer on a shift confirmed my view that the Street Angels offer a calm and caring support network”
“Street Angels are one of the Church’s gifts to our communities. Town centres patrolled by Street Angels see marked reductions in violent crime, sexual assaults and antisocial behaviour … and provide excellent opportunities for men and women who really want to roll their sleeves up and get involved in their church and community, but haven’t found the right way to do that yet. I came away having met wonderful volunteers who really know what’s going on out there.”
“I find it really satisfying – it isn’t rocket science. You are sober, and they aren’t, so you can think straight; it all works together to transform the night … That is a joy! We can help to prevent crime from happening in the first place, so what we do is very worthwhile and really, really powerful. For example, calming down an emerging ‘fight’, by distracting people who are behaving unpredictably… with a few lollipops… (very often, they forget what they were arguing about and they are fine). You do see some very sad situations, particularly people sleeping on the streets who are homeless; or, (who) may feel vulnerable, but they know that there are people out there who really do care for them & want to help… I think that gives them hope & confidence. When something bad has happened… you just do whatever you can, in the moment. The very fact that we are there… doing & helping, is a huge source of strength to people… they know that they are not alone”.
“I have no doubt you take a lot of pressure off the police and are good for the general reputation and morale of the town… I was hugely impressed with the way Street Angels worked and the way it is obviously perceived and appreciated in the town.  I lost count of the times when people greeted us with ‘Hey, Street Angels’ as though we were a welcome part of the street furniture.   Congratulations and keep going.”