Street Angel of the Month

Each month we highlight one of our Angel’s in our Angel of the Month feature. All of our team are volunteers and without their valuable and unique contributions we wouldn’t be able to continue our work.

December’s Windsor Street Angel of the month is Alice H who joined the Street Angels in 2016. Alice is one of our team leaders and has also fundraised for us, completing ultramarathons in Iceland and the Cotswolds and most recently a 100 mile hike in Scotland with her rescue dog Reggie.

Why did you first join the Street Angels?

One of the reasons the street angels appealed to me was because nothing like this existed when I was out and about till the early hours.

In my day I would have appreciated a bottle of water and flip flops after a night out and I’m really proud to be able to pay that forward for the next generation of Street Angels.

Since becoming an Angel I’ve got to know many of the homeless and rough sleepers by name along with many of the regulars around the town, it really has made me feel closer to the community and that I am helping make a difference.

How did you get involved?

I found the Windsor Street Angels through Google and signed up on line, I attended drugs awareness training that same week and got to meet some of the team. Then I went out as an observer, which was a great way of seeing what a shift was like.

Before I started I was worried about how I would cope with pulling an ‘all nighter’ after a busy week in the office but it’s been surprisingly easy (clearly my uni days prepared me well)!

I was also a bit nervous about some of the situations we may find ourselves in but the reality is you’re never alone and therefore you always have someone else for support and a second opinion. The other Angels are really supportive and everyone has their own strength which makes it the perfect team.

What do you enjoy the most?

The team work and the people we meet. Windsor Street Angels are a fantastic team. We never know what we will be dealling with on a shift so for me the people we are working with and the people we meet whilst out are the ones that make the experience enjoyable.

What’s your most memorable Street Angel moment?

There have been many memorable moments and I think the very first shift remains the most memorable for many of us.

For me it was finding a young teenager in a dark secluded park who had unfortunately drunk far too much and was semi-conscious. Finding her like that, helping to warm her up, sober her up and keep her safe until we were able to transport her home is the reason why I always try to check the parks when on shift. She was extremely vulnerable and we were lucky to have found her when we did.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of becoming a Street Angel?

Get in touch and come along as an observer, it gives you a great feel for what we help with on a shift and also what the team is like. If it’s something you decide is for you then there is lots of free training to cover the skills you will use on a shift and build up your confidence.

Learn more about our previous Angel’s of the month