FAQs

No. The scheme is for anyone who feels unsafe or uncomfortable, regardless of gender.

It was developed for licensed venues, but can be used in many different settings where staff are present.

Yes. Ask for Angela is free to implement.

Venues receive guidance and materials to support staff in responding appropriately.

Staff take their lead from the person asking for help and support them in the way they want.

Ask for Angela is a shorthand phrase that signals a need for discreet support without having to explain the situation.

Staff at the venue will take you to a safe place and will support you however you choose. For example, this may include leaving or remaining in the venue safely, reuniting with friends or contacting emergency services.

You could say “I need to speak to Angela”, “Is Angela working tonight” or a similar question. The scheme trains team members in vulnerability management and awareness, so no matter how you ask for help, in participating venues, appropriate support will always be available.

If a member of staff called Angela works in the venue, we advise it is always best to assume that the individual is asking for help in the first instance and treat it as an Ask for Angela request.

You could say “I need to speak to Angela”, “Is Angela working tonight” or a similar question. The scheme trains team members in vulnerability management and awareness, so no matter how you ask for help, in participating venues, appropriate support will always be available.

No, Ask for Angela is not intended to be a secret code. It is a shorthand way for someone to ask for help without having to explain their situation. Displaying posters ensures that people know the scheme exists in participating venues and feel confident using it if they are feeling unsafe or vulnerable in a public space. Our posters can be found here.

We recommend training your team members on Ask for Angela so they can manage vulnerability and respond effectively. We offer various training options, as well as a selection of free resources which can be accessed here, to ensure there are no barriers to implementing the scheme.

Ask for Angela was set up to provide free setup support to any business. We provide free setup guides  for managers and workbooks for team members, together with free posters. You can even book a free call with our team, who will talk you through what to do. Our web shop offers branded items to help promote that the initiative is available in your venue if you wish to purchase these. All income from materials is reinvested into social impact.

Ask for Angela is a Community Interest Company that operates on a not-for-profit basis. We reinvest all training income and materials sales into social impact including our website, campaign development, resources and running costs such as travel. We are very fortunate that the vast majority of staffing costs have been donated to us by the private sector.

Ask for Angela was established in 2016 by the Safer Communities Sexual Violence and Abuse Partnership in Lincolnshire, with the aim of creating safer spaces within the night-time economy. In 2023, the scheme was developed into a Community Interest Company to ensure greater consistency in how it is implemented. Since then, Ask for Angela has expanded beyond night-time venues and is now used across a wide range of settings, including fire stations, educational facilities and public transport companies.

Ask For Angela and Ask For Clive are different initiatives. Ask For Clive is a charity that works with Pubs and Venues to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion, and provide welcome spaces for the community.