Late Night Listeners Report, Saturday June 22
The signs of the potential start of the Summer were very favourable as our team of five plus one (a long story) made the life-changing decision of choosing to wear just our lightweight, Day-Glo... er, I mean.. Hi Viz tabards.
As we made our way to our regular set up point, the active busy nightlife we stepped into would prove to be the cultural representation of the night. A couple of our regular homeless guys were around and at some point came and had tea and multiple biscuits and the odd pair of flip flops were dispensed (not to the homeless guys!)
We seemed to have more than our regular amount of inquisitive people stopping by to ask the now almost familiar question of '"What's this all about, then?".
It's always a good feeling to be able to tell them that we are a mainly faith-based group coming from a variety of denominations from churches in and around the City with the one objective of serving and helping our local community via the night time economy.
Speaking of faith, it turned out to be a bit of a theme as we had a young lady who attended a church in Walsall who was a bit overcome by what we were doing and insisted on praying with and for a couple of our team, there and then! (to be honest, she had had a bit to drink so was quite wordy in her praying) garnering some interesting comments from those around.
Whilst this was going on, a man, who had also had a few, was at our table having a coffee and was clearly out this evening to 'eye up' and to chat up the ladies. He told us he was a farmer from Burntwood and regaled us with some of the things he undertook in that role.
Later another young couple came over and the man began to tell us that he was brought up in the Christian faith and that his mum went to a church one of our team attended. It was refreshing to hear a young person's views on the relevance and significance of having a faith.
It was also the night of an almost 'Blood Moon'... resulting in the, now normal activity, of people taking photos on their phones!
The City seemed to be a busy one for almost all of our shift...and as it drew to a close for us, the glorious Bobby turned up with a big box of chips for sharing. He also told us that on the Saturday nights we are not out, he gets people asking where we are....it's so humbling for us to be acknowledged for our presence.
Subject: Report for Late Night Listeners 27.07.2024
It was one of the mildest of Summer nights so far that called for hi-viz tabards instead of the big coats. Unfortunately, due to some miscommunication on my part, we were one team member down (with them being part of a Choir on tour and in Germany this particular evening!). So we were a tad limited on being able to send pairs out walking around the centre of the City, which was probably just as well as the emptying out of Beacon Park that had played host to a Festival of Tribute Bands meant a heck of lot of people passing through the town (fold up chairs in hands). For the majority of the people coming home, it was a nice friendly, and good humoured vibe.
We did have a lovely younger couple stop by our table and 'raved' a little about what we all did. As they stood there chatting, having just purchased some pizza etc, another guy in customary festival bucket hat came over asking why they had not bought him any food. We all thought this was someone they knew as they both engaged in conversation with him. As it turned out he was a complete stranger and his clear drunken demeanour turned to one of underlying menace as he accused them of being 'robbers' and stealing his wallet. Things moved up a gear or two in its intensity until a friend of the guy in the bucket hat came over and forcibly wrested him away to come and sit with him on the bench opposite. This he did whilst continued to jibe and antagonise the couple with gestures and comments...thankfully our nice couple were doing their best to ignore him, though the young man was quite prepared to have it 'out with him' but was tempered by his partner not to rise to the bait... such a shame drink can bring out the worst in people even after a nice evening out.
We did however have another rather genial young man who lived in the Isle of Man (I know, a long way to Lichfield for a party...right?). It turned out that his friend, a Lichfield citizen, had turned 30 and it was big party time. As he asked questions as to who we were and what we were doing he went on to explain that his mum was a Reverend in a church on the IoM and she was often coercing him to help out with the local food bank. Him being a 'confirmed atheist', he had had to come to a compromise with his mum, that he helped out as long as she did not try to constantly get him to come to church on a Sunday!!
We watched as the 'gentle giant' that is Bobby the Bouncer for the Millennium Chicken fast food place physically but firmly forced a rather large and very drunk man out of the shop sound tracked with a tirade of verbal abuse to someone still inside the shop. This big guy went on to a kebab shop over the road and we later heard a similar situation going on with the security staff there! How sad!
The City was super busy due to the Festival fall-out and that fall-out featured all ages and even families who ended up milling around the City centre well into Midnight. As an observation, we did observe a lack of police around, though they may have been situated in and around the Park for all we knew.
Chips came and were quickly digested as we came to the time to pack down.
Lichfield you were wonderful, thank you and goodnight!
Subject: Late Night Listeners report 10.08.24
Our lovely team assembled at Wade Street Church to haul out our equipment for the night. We loaded up the leader's car with the usual supplies and refreshments after a moment of prayer.
Glorious Lichfield was warm and busy, with the streets full of nice, friendly Lichfeldians and people from beyond. We knew we were going to have a steady stream of passers by tonight.
Unfortunately we were unable to set up camp at our usual pitch, the County Council having barriered the two large sycamore trees, due to root uplift. It may be a while before we get back there. However we found a suitable pitch in full view of the public, between Betsy's and Millennium chicken. We were back lit and ready for anything.
There was a Police carrier parked close to Walkabout, containing three jolly Police Officers. We introduced ourselves and they were very pleased to see us. There were also two Response patrols in the City throughout the time we were there. Officers are on twelve hour shifts, due to the riots and civil unrest.
We set off in pairs at regular intervals, all reporting that all pubs and bars were very busy. The only location that was oozing unrest was Walkabout. Every hostelry had door staff on duty.
We had a stream of people thanking us for what we do, some partaking in refreshments.
Just after 1100 hrs there were more drunken people around, with the fast food restaurants booming and the reliable taxi rank transporting people away.
It kicked off at Walkabout with the door staff fighting with a couple of aggressive customers.The situation calmed after a heavy Police presence.
We all noticed one or two men comatose through drink. The Police were excellent in the way they helped them.
A man attending a wedding at the Guildhall, brought us a box of excess lemon drizzle cake, which proved very popular with people stopping to chat.
At about 23.50, a couple of us witnessed a large fight outside Walkabout, which had started inside.The Police were at the scene, and as the Police do, waded in and quickly de-escalated the situation, which was very timely.
One has to commend the Police for protecting us all and carrying out their duties, fairly but firmly.
We suspect the Police will be looking at Walkabout's licence, if incidents like tonight become too regular.
We didn't have to issue any flip flops as the City passed by. All in all, most people were in fine fettle.
Hot chips arrived at midnight, thankyou Bobby and Millenium Chicken.
The team were engaging with people all night, and we knew that LNL on the streets was providing a vital service.
At 0100 hrs we packed up as the City was slowly emptying.