A shopping centre in Bradford will be the new home for a charity project that works to look after the community at night.

The Broadway shopping centre in Bradford city centre has stepped in to provide Bradford Street Angels with access to a private room to work from every Friday, free of charge.

Street Angels is a project that provides care and practical help to people who are out enjoying the city's nightlife.

Lorraine Betts, co-chair of Bradford Street Angels, said: “Street Angels is a voluntary organisation that relied on funding grants and donations to rent a ‘base’ for volunteers whilst working. We’re delighted to be able to alleviate this pressure and are so grateful to The Broadway for its kind offer. 

“We have a wonderful team of volunteers that work very hard from early evening right through until the early hours of the morning. It is fantastic that we are able to have a warm and safe base at The Broadway to store our personal items and to provide space for rest between patrols.”
 

The Street Angels patrol in teams of three or four and provide a listening ear to those who need to talk or provide support to the more vulnerable people they come across.

Ian Ward, general manager at The Broadway, said: “We firmly believe that The Broadway is at the heart of the local community. When we heard about the space required by the Street Angel volunteers to rest and recuperate whilst conducting their voluntary work, The Broadway management team came together to decide how we could help. 

“The Centre has ample space, particularly during the hours retailers are closed. We have a private space that is relaxing and spacious plus, safe and protected. We decided this was the ideal location for the Street Angel team particularly with its easy access to the streets of Bradford where the night economy is located. 

“The work the Street Angels team conduct is truly admirable and we‘re delighted to provide the space free of charge to the organisation.” 
 

Bradford Street Angels are part of a wider national network of Street Angels. The first team started in Halifax in 2005 and there are now more than 100 across the UK.

There are currently 20 volunteers on the Bradford Street Angels active list, but the team is actively searching for more so that patrols can take place on a Saturday evening as well as a Friday. 
 

Many of the volunteers come from local churches, though as long as the ethos is respected, volunteers may come from any faith or non-faith background.

For anyone wanting to get involved in Bradford Street Angels or to find out more information, contact the group through Facebook @BradfordStreetAngels