A night hub is has launched in Durham city centre to give support to those who may be vulnerable or need help during a night out.
Durham City Safety Group (DCSG) have recently launched The Hub at St Nicholas Church on Durham Market Place, to assist those who are unwell, vulnerable, or become a victim of crime.
And the hub itself is part of a group that leads the new Step In and Keep Durham Safe campaign - who also offer vital training and education to help identify signs of vulnerability to those in the local nightlife industry.
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The campaign, which is funded through the DCSG's Safety of Women at Night (SWAN) Fund, also encourages those who may witness an incident to keep Durham safe by stepping in and reporting it to staff within venues or local police.
It also encourages organisations to become 'Step in Aware', overseeing at least 80% of their staff to complete the training.
Chair of DCSG and Corporate Director for Neighbourhoods and Climate Change at Durham County Council, Alan Patrickson, said: "We are really pleased to be operating The Hub at St Nic's Church.
"Durham City is a safe and welcoming place for everyone but we are not complacent and are committed to doing everything we can to keep it that way.
"Applying to the Safety of Women at Night Fund is an example of that and we are now using the money received to run this hub over the coming weeks to provide support to anyone who needs it while on a night out.
"We are also putting the money towards offering training to people who work in the night-time economy in Durham so they are as equipped as they can be if an incident occurs.
"This training is designed to complement the steps our many responsible employers already take and we really hope organisations will support us by becoming 'Step In Aware'."
The hub itself is open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights, and is staffed by security and support workers who are able to provide crucial assistance or offer a safe haven if a crime has taken place.
It is a joint collaboration between the council, Durham Constabulary, Durham StreetLights, and CitySafe - offering a range of invaluable experience.
Inspector Dave Clarke, from Durham Constabulary, said: "We are determined to make sure Durham City stays as safe as possible for everyone.
"By providing facilities for people to attend as a safe haven for advice and support, we can ensure appropriate safeguarding support is in place, allowing people to remain confident that Durham is a safe place to live, work, and relax."
