Islington has more than 300 Safe havens – spaces where you can go for support if you are in distress or immediate danger. We spoke to council community safety officer Sarah Armstrong to find out how they work and why they’re important

What is a Safe haven?

A Safe haven is an organisation that pledges to support anyone who is feeling unsafe. This might be offering a smile and a place to sit down, encouraging someone to report a crime, giving directions, or phoning emergency services. They’re often the first port of call when someone needs help.

What are the benefits of being a Safe haven?

Safe havens are offered training such as hate crime prevention, dementia awareness and Welfare and Vulnerability Engagement (WAVE) training. This supports staff to recognise signs of vulnerability and allow them to respond in the most appropriate way. Safe havens receive regular communication from the council and a sticker to put in their window to show you’re invested in the community.

Do you have an example of a Safe haven helping someone?

They support residents in big and small ways every day. The BlackStock Pub helped two women who were being followed. They let them wait inside the pub and called them a taxi. A tourist was feeling unsafe in their hostel and ended up in McDonald’s, visibly upset. Staff were quick to offer comfort and advice on alternative accommodation, making sure they got there safely. The visitor wrote to McDonald’s head office to praise the support they received.

Bisha, an Eritrean restaurant on Holloway Road, became a Safe haven in 2021. In this time, they’ve intervened in incidents, called emergency services, and supported people with dementia and newcomers to the borough by connecting them with essential services.

What would you say to an organisation thinking about becoming a Safe haven?

Many of our most vulnerable residents feel reassured to think there are people looking out for them all around the borough. If this is something you feel like you are doing already, why not sign up and let people know you’re helping make Islington safer?

If you need help, look for the safe haven sign in shop windows. To sign up as a Safe haven or to view locations, visit the safe havens page on the council website