A VITAL lifeline will be on hand in the heart of Worcester on New Year’s Eve after a successful launch of the city’s Safe Space for revellers welcoming in 2024.
Worcester Safe Space began its work just before Christmas and will be available on Sunday (December 31) from 10pm to 4am.
It provides a non-judgmental, supportive haven for anyone in need of assistance during operation in the night-time hours.
The Safe Space vehicle offers a range of services for a safe night out, including paramedics, mental health support, welfare support and drug and alcohol testing.
Help finding a taxi, a secure space to wait, alarms, drink StopTopps, mobile phone charging, change of clothes and a bottle of water are also offered.
Its first weekend of operation earlier this month saw three ambulance call outs averted, nine acts of First Aid and numerous welfare checks were carried out.
Richard Nash, lead medic at Safe Space said:
“We are thrilled to have aided many visitors to the city centre through the Safe Space scheme.
“The feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive, with members of the public and police alike expressing their gratitude.
“Our team provided support to vulnerable individuals by providing warmth, water, and safe transport home.
“We also administered first aid treatment, charged mobile phones, and aided with directions to ensure safe journeys.
Samantha McCarthy, Worcester BID CEO, said:
“We take pride in the fact that we were able to help numerous individuals arrive home safely over the course of the weekend.
“In doing so, we were also able to contribute to the operations of the night-time economy and reduce the burden on our city’s emergency services.”
For more information on the Worcester Safe Space project, follow @safespaceworc on social media, and for more on Worcester BID’s night-time economy, visit www.worcesterbid.com
