A Cumbrian woman has become a trustee for Ask for Angela.
Sarah Schofield, 56, of Carlisle, founder of The Safe Woman, an award-winning women’s safety business, has joined the national safety scheme’s team of trustees.
Ask for Angela is a UK-wide initiative that gives people a simple, discreet way to ask for help in a public space, without explanation.
Anyone in need of support for any reason can ask staff at a participating venue – typically bars, nightclubs and restaurants, but it can include other licensed businesses like cafes – for ‘Angela’.
Trained staff members will then respond calmly and appropriately, taking the person asking for support’s lead.
This may include getting help to leave the venue safely, being supported to stay, contacting security or escalating where needed.
Several bars, nightclubs and other venues across Cumbria are part of the Ask for Angela initiative.
Sarah said: “I am delighted to share that I have become a Trustee for Ask for Angela UK. Many, many years ago, when I needed support, Ask for Angela did not exist.
“There was no discreet phrase, no visible signpost, no simple way to ask for help and no clear reassurance that someone nearby would know what to do.
“That experience has never left me. For more than 10 years now, Ask for Angela has helped those who need it all over the UK.
“What founder Hayley Crawford and her team have achieved is absolutely incredible and a game changer for people who need help.
“It’s simple, powerful and human. It reminds people that help is not out of reach. It gives venues, staff and communities a practical way to respond when someone feels unsafe, vulnerable, or unsure.
“I am honoured to support the work of Ask for Angela and to play a small part in helping it continue to grow, reach more people, and make a real difference.
“I love that sometimes the things we once needed can become the very things we are able to join to help build and share their message.”
Sarah founded her business The Safe Woman just over a year ago and it has grown from strength to strength since.
Her workshops teach unique self defence techniques both practical and physical to women from all walks of life – from corporate workers to girl guides across Cumbria and beyond.
An Ask for Angela spokesperson said: “As a trustee, Sarah brings a unique combination of frontline insight and strategic perspective.
“She understands how women navigate risk in everyday environments, particularly in social settings and is committed to strengthening initiatives that provide discreet, immediate pathways to safety.
“Sarah has worked with organisations across the UK, including Members of Parliament, Police Crime Commissioners, corporates and community groups.
“She is also a qualified Mental Health First Aider, ensuring emotional safety is embedded alongside physical safety in all aspects of her work.
“Her contribution to Ask for Angela is grounded in a clear focus: ensuring that safety initiatives are effective, accessible and trusted by those they are designed to protect.”
Ask for Angela was first launched in 2016 by Lincolnshire County Council officer Hayley Crawford to protect people from harassment and unsafe situations in nightlife venues.
The campaign was named after a real woman, Angela Crompton, who was killed by her husband in 2012.
Ask for Angela now operates as a community interest company on a not for profit basis.
