Watford Town Centre Chaplaincy (WTCC) celebrated its 10th Anniversary on Saturday 2 November.
The WTCC is an organization supported by the churches of Watford and provides pastoral support to thousands of people who work in the town centre and surroundings. Bishop John Sherrington attended the celebration to re-commission and bless the various chaplaincy teams. He was joined by The Mayor, Dorothy Thornhill, Police Inspector Deidre Dent and Richard Harrington MP.
One area of the WTCC pastoral work highlighted was the Street Angels: teams of 8-10 people operate with links with the police and the emergency services who work at street contact support during the hours of night clubs on a Friday and Saturday night. They offer advice and care to individuals with problems resulting from intoxication, substance abuse and homelessness. They have gained the respect of politicians and police for the work carried out.
In his address to the WTCC Bishop John said: “Deep within the human heart, there is profound loneliness which each of us seeks to overcome. It is the complexity of living with this loneliness that leads to the need for chaplains who can listen, walk with others, and help them when circumstances overwhelm them. The Street Angels are present in the darkness of the night when the bright lights of an evening fade and one is again confronted with an ending and finding the way home.”
