Tabards or Jackets? It's that time of the year when this becomes a significant question with regards to 'work' apparel. To be sure some of our 'infamous five' brought both - just in case!
Setting up was in our new chosen space, just forward of the Dessert shop between the two trees. This is proving quite novel (even revelationary) for the teams as we now have members of the public walking both behind and in front of our table.
There seemed to be a great spirit of generosity in the air this night with people giving us significant donations just to say thanks for what we all do as volunteers for the community. There were lots of encouraging conversations and engagements with people throughout the night.
We did a couple of flip flop encounters, which always draws overflowing praise and thanks from some very relieved ladies. We did our usual pat-strolls around the City square just to keep an eye on what else is going on at the various venues, keeping an eye out for folks in need or difficulties, keeping up 'speaking terms' relationships with door/security staff and answering the odd question or two. A young lady came across to our table to inform us that a homeless person she had got into conversation with had told her all he wanted was a place to stay and she wanted to know what we could do to help him. As it turned out we knew the homeless person in question and could inform the lady that (to our knowledge) they had been offered accommodation before but had not committed to stay in it. It is always a difficult issue that in many cases does not necessarily conclude with the person being house as the issues around their individual situations are often more complex .
Labour MP Dave Robertson stopped by to introduce himself and thank us for what we are doing. A brief chat with him resulted in him directing us to funding we could apply for (we need to cover the hire of radio/walkie talkie that puts us on the Night Time communication system that links us to other venues etc as well as pay for Public Liability Insurance).
As the end of our shift approached, Bobby, possibly the greatest security person in all Lichfield, turned up with a box of piping hot chips (why do they taste so wonderful at 1am in the morning?)...From then on it was pack-down and time to head back to base and eventually home and bed.
P.S. On the Thursday before LNL had been part of the Lichfield Community Day with a table in the Market Square where we had a number of folk interested in potentially being part of our volunteer group as well as us getting a photo taken with Staffordshire's own Olympic Gold Medalist, Sophie Capewell.