Night Angels Initiative Enhances Women’s Safety in Gloucestershire

While many individuals engage in evening entertainment in towns and cities on Friday and Saturday nights, a distinct group dedicates these hours to patrolling streets with the aim of protecting women. This initiative emerged two years ago following a series of reported sexual assaults in Stroud, Gloucestershire, which generated widespread fear and concern. These incidents prompted local resident Chrissie Lowery to establish the Night Angels. The 54-year-old business owner possesses a deep understanding of violence against women and girls, stemming from her prior career as a clinical specialist nurse and her own experience as a survivor. Furthermore, her daughter shared a “really scary” account of being followed through the town. In the aftermath of the Stroud attacks, Gloucestershire Police acknowledged the necessity of enhancing protection for women and girls. They initiated efforts by organizing a public meeting in August 2022 to address the “number of awful of frightening rapes, sexual assaults and inappropriate behaviours” recorded in preceding months. This meeting saw an attendance of over 200 people, with approximately 90% being women. Shortly after this gathering, Ms. Lowery launched the Safe Space scheme, designed to offer refuge and assistance to women and girls, whether through a phone call to the police, a ride home, or a comforting cup of tea. Businesses, shops, and pubs throughout Stroud endorsed this concept, displaying Safe Space stickers in their windows to indicate places of refuge for those in need. The scheme’s website also features a map, guiding users to their nearest available space. Since its inception, around 700 safe spaces, encompassing trains and buses, have been established across Stroud and Gloucester. Ms. Lowery commented, “It’s a really community-based service. It’s a collaboration and it is being really well received.” She expressed her ambition to expand the scheme further, identifying Swindon in Wiltshire as the next target area. Since December 2023, Ms. Lowery has spent her Friday and Saturday evenings alongside her fellow Night Angels, conducting street patrols in groups of six. They are easily identifiable by their pink high-visibility vests and matching hats. Ms. Lowery stated: “I thought I could do it – it’s something I wanted to do, and it was on my agenda. “Five days later, we had a group of women out patrolling the town and I was one of them.” All Night Angels undergo DBS checks and receive training in various critical areas, including first aid, CPR, defibrillators, de-escalation techniques, negotiation, domestic violence awareness, safeguarding, and mental health support. The group operates with the backing of Gloucestershire Police and the local council. The Angels are equipped with backpacks containing essential items such as first aid kits, water, lollipops, and blankets. They also extend emotional and psychological support, in addition to offering lifts home when required. Ms. Lowery explained: “We go out and find people who need us and some will approach us – we’re very pink and easily identifiable.” She further added: “We’ve taken some people home because they’re concussed, we’ve taken people to hospital and we’ve taken people to mental health establishments. “No two nights are the same.” In total, there are approximately 80 Angels, organized into one team in Stroud and two in Gloucester. The group reports having provided assistance in 165 different incidents thus far. The Angels are headquartered at Bright House in King’s Walk Shopping Centre, Gloucester, which also serves as a designated Safe Space. Ms. Lowery shared: “Stroud women are actually saying to us ‘we’re so happy that you’re out keeping us safe, we feel like we can go out, we felt vulnerable here because of everything that’s gone on’, so that’s really good.” While acknowledging the existence of other safety initiatives, such as Ask for Angela, Ms. Lowery emphasized that the Night Angels’ direct accessibility distinguishes them. She noted: “We’ve had people report to us that they’ve asked for Angela and been told that ‘she doesn’t work here’. “There can be a high turnover [of staff] in hospitality and you have to train every individual. “There aren’t people like us out on the streets for women,” she concluded. Ms. Lowery hopes for the scheme to expand and become a nationwide presence, a goal contingent on an increase in women joining the team. Over the past two years, Ms. Lowery’s dedication has garnered recognition. In 2022, she received an invitation to Downing Street as a community champion, and last year, she attended Parliament for International Women’s Day. She remarked: “It makes you feel proud and like you’re actually doing something right,” but added: “I don’t really think about it too much though – I’m more focused on trying to get what I’m doing to where I want it to be.” She also expressed: “I want to have a refuge one day.” Ms. Lowery firmly asserted that “absolutely not” enough is currently being done to safeguard women and girls from violence, abuse, and harassment. She elaborated: “There’s just not enough services. “A lot of attitudes have to change, education has got to change and it goes right back for years, but I think some people are changing.”People are calling it out more now, and I think social media really helps.”” She encouraged any women or girls facing difficulties to “reach out,” advising: “Go get some help. Tell a friend, talk about it and get out if you can.”