THE Bishop of Leeds, the Rt Revd Nick Baines,
spent Sunday evening at the annual Leeds Festival, visiting the
team of "Festival Angels" who offer safety and support to needy
festivalgoers during the four-day event. The Bishop had to thread
his way through the thousands of tents and beer cans, not to
mention the mud, catching a bit of the band the Arctic Monkeys on
the way, to see the Angels at work.
They were based at the prayer tent, which offers a place of
sanctuary where anyone can come to chat, relax, pray, and have a
hot drink. The Angels also patrol the site, offering help or a
listening ear. He found them "an impressive bunch of dedicated
volunteers, and their work is obviously valued by many at the
festival. The music and the atmosphere are fantastic, but people
can still feel vulnerable. . . And it's great that they provide a
safety net, and a place of welcome for anyone who needs it".
The Angels come from Churches Together, and Leeds Street Angels,
whose teams provide care for those on a night out in the city
centre.
