This is a text-only version of an article first published on Tuesday, 25 June 2013. Information shown on this page may no longer be current.
A NEW Town Chaplaincy sees volunteers from churches meeting the needs of the thousands of people who either work in or visit the centre of Aylesbury every day. Meanwhile at night Street Angels offer support to those who may need it.
The Aylesbury Town Chaplaincy follows the success of similar projects across the UK, including one in High Wycombe.
It has trained volunteers who offer practical help and spiritual support to those who need it. The first volunteer chaplain started work in July last year and the first Street Angels began patrols in November 2012.
There are now eight chaplains and 15 Street Angels, representing 13 churches in Aylesbury and the surrounding area. Retired clothes shop worker Margaret Spry was asked to join the chaplaincy team after a spiritual gifts training day at her church, The Church of the Holy Sp irit in Bedgrove. She said: "I like talking to people and meeting people and I've been told I'm a good listener and it all seemed to fit in with what they were looking for. "She explained how chaplains pray in the background for the visitors and workers in their assigned area.
"Sometimes I will strike up conversations with people and feel more blessed by what they say to me.
Sometimes people will share their problems with you and you can help them to begin to see a way forward. "I think sometimes God does things that we are not expecting and that can be exciting.
One chap had been out of work for a while and the last time I saw him he was overjoyed because he had got a job. "Mark Knight is the co-ordinator for and a member of the Street Angels.
He said: "There's no typical evening because anything can happen.
We chat with the door staff, answer questions from the public and help people who may have fallen over drunk and we may do a bit of first aid, hand out flip flops to girls who can't walk in their heels and lollipops.
Sometimes we may attend more serious incidents, possibly diffusing a fight.
I enjoy meeting people and having a laugh with people on a late Friday night and early on a Saturday morning.
It's fun and not at all serious or scary.
One of the biggest parts of it is listening and discovering what is important to people for the town and for themselves.
We pray before we go out and that gives us a real sense of confidence when we are out there. " For more see www. aylesburytownchaplaincy. co. uk/