And so it was that, the weather being reasonably mild, the night-time City of Lichfield shaped up to be a lively but mostly good-humoured backdrop for the team's Saturday shift. From the off we were regaled with platitudes from a married couple who stayed for some while at the table. They foisted folding money upon us, ignoring our comments of it being too much and unnecessary, then spent some time telling everyone else who approached the table what fabulous people were doing such a work of significance. This was made all the more humorous by the man of the couple apologising continuously for his use of some, very Anglo-Saxon, terminologies but continuing to use them as adjectives! His wife meanwhile had cornered a young lad who had, very politely, asked for a beverage. I am not sure he was expecting a pep-talk of such length but was very gracious in being a 'late night listener' to the ladies' words of advice and encouragement.
A police van made a couple of drive-bys and were very friendly in acknowledging us, which we are always grateful for as it makes us feel more accepted by them as genuinely being part of the peace-keeping structure of the night-time economy. Second time around they stopped and chatted with one of our team. We did notice a lack of homeless people around - just one or two through the whole of our shift.
On one of the teams 'walkabouts' they came across a gentleman who had passed out outside the Earl Of Lichfield pub and had been given a chair to sit on (which clearly was causing a problem with him being able to be kept upright). We suggested that we take away the chair and place him on the floor. The landlady of the pub had already informed police (who couldnt help) and the Ambulance service (who said they would get there when they could as it was a busy night). Cushions were obtained from the pub and the man was propped up with them. The worry was that he was still either sleeping off having drained a couple of wine bottles or was unconscious as no-one could wake him. We were told he had been in the pub before and looking at his apparel, we guessed he was potentially homeless or living at least by himself. There was nothing much more the team could do and left it in the hands of the very compassionate landlady - still on the phone to the ambulance. The two continued their walkabout and returned a little later on their way back round just before the ambulance arrived and two paramedics lifted him onto a gurney and took him into the back of the vehicle. Many times, the team never get to hear the end result of some of these encounters, and have to trust that the Lord has put them in safe and compassionate hands, but our hearts do go out to the lonely and the lost who find themselves in such pitiful conditions and situations.
Later opposite our table a lady tripped and twisted her ankle causing some of the team and others to come to her assistance. Other than the above it was a busy but quite friendly environment in the 'Spired' city...
With the aid of some local funding, the Late Night Listeners will be the focus of a video about to be made highlighting their work. A local video production company will be arranging the filming over the next couple of months. The aim will be to have something we can use to recruit more volunteers but also to make the general public more aware of the role we play (and have done for some years now) in the night time economy of this fair City. Be aware, we will be talking to many people including the general public...it could be YOU!
Blessings
David W-M
Saturday May 27th 2023
Our night began when two of our team members reported an altercation between a rather tipsy young lady and a man nearby. This lady then arrived at our table and despite drinks and encouragement never quite left until late at night. A friend of hers told us it was a waste of time talking to her when she was drunk and so it proved. She was a very disturbed person and and had very clear opinions on Lichfield, rich people and us which were accompanied with much swearing and shouting.
Later a lady dashed up to us asking us to help with a quantity of leftover party snacks from a wedding party at the Guildhall. Several of us went over and loaded up trays with various foods. We then took these out as we walked around in our two’s and amazingly ( to me) by the end of the night most of the snacks were gratefully consumed. One lady first refusing what she called 'food for the homeless’ changed her mind when I said it was from a wedding party at the GUILDHALL. At any rate it made for a rather different night for our team and saved some food from heading to the landfill.
We had the usual conversations, hopefully helpful, with some of our regular visitors and even the promise of some potential new members as well as some grateful donations along with the coffee, tea, biscuits and flip-flops provided as necessary. Also worth mentioning on the positive side is the number of groups where members helped those more drunk get home safely. The night proved reasonably mild but the usual offer of hot fresh chips from next door to our setup was also gratefully received at approaching 1pm as a suitable way to wrap things up.
Howard J
Late Night Listeners Report Sat June 24 2023
We, at Late Night Listeners, tend to love it when the warmer weather kicks in, as not only does it make for a more palatable evening but we also get to don our LNL tabards!! No heavy thermal layered jackets for a few weeks...oh, great joy! And so out into the balmy, almost Mediterranean, evening air we set off to bring some smiles, coffee, tea, biscuits and flip flops to the good folk of Lichfield.
The night began with a slightly more sinister encounter where we came across a lady who said was feeling intimidated by her partner, who had apparently snatched her phone away(!) and was now insisting she come home with him (it transpired they didn't actually live together). We invited her to come and sit with us and have a coffee whilst he was somewhere else. One of our team sat alongside her to talk. Said partner did then come across and stood around nearby, occasionally asking her to stop being silly and come with him, when she told him no he would walk a few feet away and stand there looking as though he was quietly fuming. There was a distinct air of some subliminal control going on and we got the impression that she was not happy with it. When she finally, reluctantly, agreed to go with him, she made a point of telling him that she had given our team member who had sat with her her telephone number and told her to call to see if she got back OK (she hadn't actually done this at all). The incident left us all a wee bit concerned for this lady but it is not our place to pass opinion or judgement in these situations...but they do leave one feeling uneasy.
On a more upbeat note, a group of ladies came past and stopped to speak to us and it turned out that one of them, (Tasmin is her name) used to volunteer with LNL back in the day and she met her now husband whilst serving him a coffee one night. They now have a 10 year old boy,,,,how amazing is that? Tasmin was eager for us to say hello to everyone whilst having a lovely story to tell her friends who were with her.
We had our now normal rituals of people saying lovely, heartfelt things about us and what we do for the local community, especially one lady in particular who was waiting for her husband and just happened to ask what we do - she was visibly moved to tears when we told her - bless!.
There was another bit of light-heartedness as a man came over to us asking
if we knew the Lichfield Rail Timetable (off by heart, we said!!). Phones were quickly pulled out (apparently he did not have one) and it was found that all trains had now stopped so there was no way he was getting home by that mode of transport... however, one of our team was determined to get this guy back to Rugeley one way or another and went down the line of Taxis in Bird Street negotiating prices till she got it to an amount he could afford then promptly packed him off in a taxi - what a service we offer!!
Our next session at the end of July will be being filmed for a video that is being made so that we have something to show that would encourage new volunteers, so you should come and get our autographs now before we get too big for our boots 🤓 ha ha!
Blessings
DWM