12.15am

We arrived at base ready for a break, just then I got a call from CCTV the police had a young woman at the Hyde Park Hotel, who was in need of our help and support, so Anne and myself volunteered to go. Half way up the road we heard a distressed voice from behind us, “Please can you help me?” – we turned to see a young woman; she was in tears and shaking.

Anne put her arms around her, and gently asked had she been attacked or rejected by someone. “No” came the answer, it seems she had gone out on her own early in the evening and walking back home, had suddenly felt very lonely, and panicked herself. She told us she lived just around the corner in Peverell, we were not sure if this was the person we were called out for, but we said we were walking up to the Hyde Park to meet someone.

We soon came across the two Police officers, trying to support another young woman, she was very cold. We got her into a poncho with great difficulty and gave her some water. She had a boyfriend with her so the Police said they would get her to a safe place and leave her with the boyfriend to recover a bit more. We decided we could not leave the first woman but escorted her home as it was nearby.

This gave Anne a little more time to comfort her, and to tell her Jesus was someone who would be a real friend, and we would pray for her, she asked “Does prayer work?”  We then told her what had just happened on North Hill, against all the odds. This seemed to lift her sprits and by the time we reached her flat she seemed fully recovered and was impressed by what she had seen and heard.

We noted that she had a safe home and a very good job, but that is not always enough to stop you from getting desperately lonely!