Published: Wednesday, 1st June 2022
A new campaign addressing women’s safety has launched across the District as part of Cannock Chase Council’s ongoing safeguarding work.
The new campaign named ’Get Home Safe’ aims to prompt women and girls to think about how they will get themselves home on a night out.
The Council’s Policy and Communications and Community Safety and Partnerships teams have been working together to develop a new campaign called ‘Get Home Safe’ which provides useful tools for women and young girls to get home safe after a night out.
Local pubs and taxi drivers across the District have signed up to the campaign and promotional messages are being advertised in venues and vehicles. These include window stickers, bar wobblers, beer mats, posters, and table cards - all of which provide details about the Hollie Guard App and the Ask for Angela safety initiative.
Campaign messages are also being advertised on local bus shelters, the Council’s social media platforms and website.
Councillor Bryan Jones, Deputy Leader of the Council and Community Safety and Partnerships Portfolio Leader, said: "The Council is committed to ensuring that female residents leaving local town centres can do so in a safe manner without feeling uncomfortable or vulnerable. It’s important that residents are educated in the role they can play to keep themselves safe.
“The campaign encourages women and young girls to download the Hollie Guard App onto their phones to provide enhanced levels of protection. Hollie Guard has you covered, whether you’re working alone, travelling to an unknown area, or simply commuting around town. It’s free to download from the App Store and Google Play.
“The safety initiative ‘Ask for Angela’ is also being promoted as part of this campaign. People who feel unsafe, vulnerable, or threatened can discreetly seek help by approaching bar staff and asking them for ‘Angela’. This code-phrase will indicate to staff that they require help with their situation and a trained member of staff will then look to support and assist them. This might be through reuniting them with a friend, seeing them to a taxi, or by calling venue security and/or the police”.
Ben Adams, Staffordshire’s Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime, said: “As Commissioner, a key priority in my Police and Crime Plan is not only increasing the safety of women and girls, but also ensuring they feel safer when enjoying nights out in our towns and cities.
“This campaign is a welcome addition to vital partnership work already underway across the county, which includes a range of practical measures, as well as education and awareness-raising initiatives.”
‘Get Home Safe’ forms part of the Council’s wider safeguarding work and has been funded by the Staffordshire Commissioner’s Locality Deal Fund.
For further information about this campaign contact the Community Safety team on (01543) 464477 or visit www.cannockchasedc.gov.uk/gethomesafe
Photograph:
Get Home Safe campaign material - `Ask for Angela`