More Success for the Triage Centre on Bank Holiday Weekend

The Triage centre opened its doors again on Sunday 3rd May to provide another successful safety service in Bridgend town centre.

From 10pm, church pastors hit Bridgend streets to help club-goers and the Triage centre, based in Hope Baptist Church on Station Hill, was open for the public to report incidents of crime or to receive medical treatment.

Visitors included a lady who reported her handbag stolen and a young man who received medical treatment after slipping and cutting his hand on glass. A drunken man who had fallen through a shop window also received medical aide before being arrested for criminal damage.

Street pastors patrolling the streets escorted people to the centre that were in a bad way, with rest beds, food and water available for those in need.

The Triage Centre is a partnership scheme which sees the church street pastors, South Wales Police, St Johns Ambulance, the council, and local health authorities join forces to provide an emergency service to members of the public who find themselves alone, vulnerable or too drunk on a night out in Bridgend.

The centre always opens on busy public events including rugby weekends and the Christmas period, helping to relieve pressure from response police officers and the NHS ambulance service. A St Johns ambulance is on site ready to tackle any emergencies, along with designated police officers and special constables.

Princess of Wales Hospital figures from February and March 2009 indicate that the number of assaults reported to the hospital on nights when the Triage centre has been open have halved compared with other weekends, suggesting the scheme is successfully providing relief for A&E and preventing criminal offences before they occur.

Leaflets were delivered to pubs and clubs across Bridgend leading up to Sunday so licensees could promote the service to revellers.

Police Community Safety Sergeant Angela Bennett said: “The Triage Centre has been operating since 2007 and has proved to be a great relief to both the public and emergency services. We will be opening again on Sunday 24th May for the next Bank holiday, so wish to remind the public that they can use the centre to pop in for advice, report any incidents of crime, and report lost property that occurs on their night out. Medical assistance is also available.”

The centre will open 10pm – 4.30am on Sunday May 24th.