THE Street Angels are celebrating their first birthday.

The volunteers who help revellers and provide care and assistance to those in need are holding a party to mark the anniversary.

Members of the town’s churches formed the Street Angels last year because they were concerned about the problems in the town centre late at night.

And they have been a huge success, helping to reduce crime rates by 25%.

They have also proven to be a great help to many drunken revellers unable to get home.

Orlando Brown is a regular Street Angel.

The 70-year-old is often out until 3am helping revellers in need.

He said: “We started the Street Angels because we were very concerned about what was happening to people in the town centre.

“We wanted to help stop the violence and we thought that as members of a church, we could help to do that.

“We are here to support the community and that is what we are doing.

“The police have been very welcoming. They told us that crime rates are down by 25% when the Street Angels are out.

“That is a very positive step which we are very pleased about.

“But what is most wonderful is the reaction we get from the people we meet.

“We get people coming up to us and thanking us for being there.

“Often we will get people a taxi, wait with them if they are on their own and help them if they are in trouble.

“I remember seeing a group of about six young men and one of them shouted across the road to us “It’s the Street Angels, you saved my life”.

“The week before he was drunk and we had helped him to get home. We had put one of our cards in his pocket so he knew what had happened.

“He was so appreciative of our help, and that makes it worthwhile.

“People ask me how I can be out that late at night, but we all do it because we care.

“This is our community and we want to help make it a safe and a better place.

“Our first year has been such a success and we are looking forward to another year.”

Mr Brown will be back on the streets next Friday for his shift as a Street Angel.

There are 30 Street Angels in Huddersfield who work on a rotation basis to make sure there is someone in the town centre on a Friday and Saturday night.

The Street Angels work alongside voluntary medical teams and the police to provide a caring, listening and helping presence to anyone in need.

Volunteers will hold a social evening at the Methodist Mission next Thursday from 7.30pm to mark the occasion.

If anybody want to join them and volunteer to be a Street Angel, this would be a good opportunity.