Some of our Street Angels went out on Halloween Night to make sure everyone out enjoying themselves were safe - it was quite a quiet evening but nevertheless good to be out.
Then they were out two days later assisting the Watford Lions for the Firework Display in Cassiobury Park, just outside the town centre but an important evening in the town’s calendar so good to be there - and they had some great ‘chance’ conversations.
Many thanks to all the Angels who were out
Out on Halloween!
We had a great evening in celebration and thanksgiving for twenty years of the Town Centre Chaplaincy in Watford. This was followed by our Annual General Meeting looking back to 2022 and with an update from our Lead Chaplain, Geert, looking forward to all that is to come! Watford’s elected Mayor, Peter Taylor, and Watford’s MP, Dean Russell, were both present for the evening, for which we offer our grateful thanks for their support of the Chaplaincy.
Just before the service started in Holy Rood Church.
The Revd Neville Dyckhoff, WTCC Trustee and Permanent Deacon at Holy Rood, kicked off the evening!
The Revd Tony Rindl, Chair of Trustees for WTCC and Vicar of St Mary’s Watford, preached during the service.
Lesley Inwards and Cynthy Davies, both Street Angels, spoke about volunteering for the Chaplaincy.
Our 20th anniversary cake!
A display board of some of the people and events from the last tweny years.
Just prior the the AGM.
You are invited to jin us tomorrow evening for our celebrations - please RSVP to office@watfordtcc.org
Volunteers met on Zoom recently and Street Angels agreed they would try to provide more shifts in the town centre. Going forward they will meet on a Saturday one week then a Friday the following, continuing in that vein whenever possible. All shifts will begin at 8.00pm and end in the early hours and volunteers can join in early or later as they have the time to suit them. Geert, the Lead Chaplain, says this will create deeper relationships with stores, clubs and visitors. It will also allow those volunteers who are involved in worship in their churches on a Sunday morning to either do an early shift on a Saturday or a later one on a Friday. Please pray for Geert and the Street Angels as they begin this new shift pattern.
We are delighted to tell you that we have a new Lead Chaplain. Geert Tap was appointed by the Trustees in April so has been in post and familiarising himself with the post for a couple of weeks now.
Today the advertising begins for a new Lead Chaplain to replace David Scourfield who recently announced his resignation.
Please see the ‘Jobs’ page for details of the post and how to apply. Applications need to be made by Friday 3rd March 2023.
David Scourfield, who has been Lead Chaplain for almost two years, has recently announced his resignation. He has been training as an ordinand with the Church of England and in July this year will be ordained in St Albans Cathedral and take up a post as curate at All Saints Church in Leavesden.
This is really good news for David but not for the Chaplaincy. David has been an effective and hardworking Lead Chaplain during his time in the Chaplaincy, leading the teams of Chaplains and Street Angels and making contact with a variety of stakeholders within the town centre.
There will be time for thanks and good-byes when David leaves at the end of March.
David Scourfield, Lead Chaplain, took part in the Remembrance Day Parade through Watford town centre on Sunday 13th November walking from St Mary’s Church to the Peace Memorial by the Town Hall. He joined many local dignitaries, members of the armed services, uniformed organisations, groups and clubs, along with many Watford residents. David laid a wreath on behalf of the Chaplaincy.
They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them
WTCC wreath laid by Lead Chaplain, David Scourfield
The WTCC wreath was one of many laid by numerous organisations.
The Remembrance Day Parade walking down the High Street
(photo - Watford Council Facebook page)
David Scourfield, Lead Chaplain, was delighted to receive a substantial donation of £30,000 from Leavesden Road Baptist Church (LRBC), following his meetings with the minister, Maureen Hider, last summer/autumn 2021. This follows the sale of the LRBC Manse in Bushey Mill Crescent in early April 2022.
The Treasurer from LRBC wrote to the Chaplaincy:
“Leavesden Road Baptist Church first opened for worship in 1896. Our work in this place over 125 years was brought to completion in 2021. Our fellowship shared a last worship service together on Christmas Day 2021. Our formal closure is planned for the end of April 2022.
As part of our decision-making arising from our closure, we determined to leave a lasting legacy through the distribution of such funds, as are available to us, to those charities we have supported over the years.
In that light, on behalf of the fellowship of Leavesden Road Baptist Church, I enclose a cheque made payable to your charity (Watford Town Centre Chaplaincy) for £30,000.
We pray that these funds will assist you in all your Good Works.”
Obviously the Chaplaincy was very sorry that the Church had to close but as you can imagine this money will greatly help the continuing work of the Chaplaincy within the town centre of Watford.
The Chaplaincy is extremely grateful to LRBC for this donation.
David Scourfield, Lead Chaplain, was very pleased, earlier this month, to receive a cheque for £750 towards the work of the Street Angels from the Halsey Hall Lodge. The Chaplaincy is always very grateful when receiving one-off donations, as well as regular donations, towards the work of the Street Angels and Chaplains supporting those who socialise, work or live in the town centre.
David Scourfield, Lead Chaplain, attended a Covid-19 Remembrance Service organised at the Stanborough Peace Garden on Sunday 22nd May 2022. It was attended by local MP, Dean Russell, and Mayor of Watford, Peter Taylor. People from different faiths, ages, backgrounds took part.
The High Street environment at night has steadily changed over the past 5 years. Even allowing for Covid, the night-time economy has changed, with more of an emphasis on the restaurant trade rather than bars/pubs and clubs. While the latter continue to operate, the numbers of users of these premises has undoubtedly fallen. In addition, the younger generation are slightly less inclined towards binge drinking (and drinking full stop).
The Street Angel Saturday rota has therefore moved to an earlier pattern of operating, from 8.00 to 11.00pm, although the later night shift (10.00pm to 3.00am) will still operate at least once a month and on special days eg New Year’s Eve and A-Level results night. In addition to patrolling the High Street, as has been the case, Street Angels will be encouraged to enter bars and pubs (with the managers’ consent) to ‘mill about’ and talk to customers when the opportunity arises.
David Scourfield, Lead Chaplain, says: “The new pattern of working will bring the Street Angels team further into synch with the way daytime chaplains operate. If chaplaincy is about bringing ‘comfort, compassion and Christ’ to those we meet in the Town Centre, the new emphasis for Street Angels will be the same as that for chaplains i.e., focusing on ‘compassion’ by coming along side those on the High Street or in pubs and bars through conversation rather than the provision of ‘comfort’ normally associated with sorting out and looking after those who have drunk too much.”
Some of our Street Angels and Chaplains will be out in Watford Town Centre tomorrow afternoon, Saturday 13th November between 4.00 and 6.00pm, supporting the Big Switch On of the Christmas Lights. If you are out too please give them a wave!
The second instalment of an interview Manon from Mill End Baptist Church had with Dave Scourfield.
you can find the interview here: https://anchor.fm/mebc/episodes/A-Chat-with-David-Scourfield--Lead-Chaplain-at-Watford-Town-Centre-Chaplaincy-2-e190lm4
You are invited to our Annual General Meeting on Thursday 21st October 2021 at 7.30pm in St Mary’s Church, Watford. We will look back at 2020 but also look forward to the future with our Lead Chaplain, David Scourfield. Why not join us to find out more about plans for the future?
Dave was recently interviewed for the Mill End Baptist Podcast by Manon, the Community Pastor at Mill End Baptist Church. In this the first of two interviews, he talks about how he came to be Lead Chaplain for WTCC and what a Chaplain is, amongst other things.
You can find the interview here: https://anchor.fm/mebc/episodes/A-Chat-with-David-Scourfield--Lead-Chaplain-at-Watford-Town-Centre-Chaplaincy--Part-1-e17dkvm
This was brought forward this year to Tuesday 10th August 2021 as part of the revisions to A-Level and GCSE results this year following the Covid-19 disruptions.
We had a small team of four street angels (pictured outside Pryzm nightclub) on the High Street from 9pm until approx. 3.15am the following morning working with the police, door staff and an on-site paramedic to look after those that were 'tired and emotional' (or 'waved' as they now say!). With the club full to capacity (1900) we were constantly busy dealing with those directly needing our help, shadowing young women as they walked alone to Ubers and taxi’s some distance away or calming the testosterone (and drink) filled young guys anxious to display their boxing talent.
A-Level results night is typically the second busiest night on shift (after New Year’s Eve) ,but also the best night by far as we can play a small part in this milestone day in the lives of these young people. However, just talking to some of those out and about revealed the level of anxiety among young adults about their futures and about the effect of Covid-19 on their future patterns of teaching at Uni. I don't envy them at this point in time.
The team were involved in the region of 20 'interventions' of one sort or another across the evening/morning (and not just with young people) and it was great to once again be of service to Watford and its wider community
WTCC and the Street Angels Team have received some positive publicity today in connection with this via the Watford Observer online
'Street angels' back out supporting Watford's night scene | Watford Observer
David Scourfield, our new Lead Chaplain, started work with us on 1st July. He has already spent time in town chatting with shoppers and will be getting to know shop keepers and business leaders over the coming weeks.
Last night he met with our volunteer Chaplains and Street Angels via Zoom to offer his thoughts about the way forward for the Chaplaincy over the coming weeks and months.
Keep an eye out for him if you are in town (he has a jacket with the word ‘Chaplain’ on his back) and have a chat with him to find out more.
It's the end of Small Charities Week, which seeks to improve the knowledge, representation and sustainability of small charities.
We are a small charity and very grateful to all who there for us, and without whom we couldn't support those who work, shop or socialise in the centre of Watford.
We are especially grateful to our volunteer Chaplains and Street Angels, our Trustees and those who support us financially and through prayer, both churches and individuals.
