The Real Life Fairy Godmothers

<p>Christmas is a time for loving and giving. Meet three readers who radiate those qualities throughout the festive season and beyond.</p>

- Stephanie Clarkson

Stepping in and making a positive difference to the lives of vulnerable people can be hugely rewarding. But of course there’s no such thing as a magic wand to make things happen – it takes commitment, courage and a broad mind to get through the toughest challenges. Here we talk to three women who saw where help was urgently needed, and made a decision to get involved. Their work has been life-changing, life-affirming and, in some cases, even life-saving. So with the season of peace and goodwill just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to discover the real-life fairy godmothers…

‘We’re calming and non-judgemental. You just need a good heart’

THE STREET ANGEL

Sarah Ward, 49, is a part-time youth worker. She lives in Guildford, Surrey with her husband Chris and daughters Orla, 16, and Caitlin, 13. Sarah volunteers as a Street Angel, helping the vulnerable at night-time.

We all love to celebrate Christmas and New Year, and every weekend in December our town centre swarms with people letting their hair down. There are office parties, girls’ nights out, impromptu drinks in the pub and packed dance floors in every club. The flip side of this is that things can, and do, go wrong – people get separated from their friends or find themselves outside in the cold with no money for a taxi, and having missed the last train home. Then there are the people who don’t have a home to go to. Many drink too much, leaving them vulnerable. That is where I come in. I volunteer with Street Angels and it’s our job to offer help and support to anyone out on the town in Guildford. We step in before people need the emergency services and are a calming, non-judgemental presence on Friday and Saturday nights from 10pm-4am, all year round. During the festive season, we are especially busy.