Free Ask for Angela training offered to staff

The scheme was named after Angela Crompton, who was killed by her husband.

Free training has been offered to help hospitality staff respond to women who feel unsafe.

West Northamptonshire Council organised the online session to raise awareness of the Ask for Angela scheme.

BBC research has shown that many bar and waiting staff did not know about the initiative and were not sure how to respond to it.

A senior councillor said the training would help residents feel safe when using venues in the area.

Posters were put up in female toilets to promote the scheme

Ask for Angela was founded in 2016 by Hayley Crawford, a substance misuse co-ordinator in Lincolnshire.

It was named after Angela Crompton, who was killed by her husband.

Under the scheme, when a person uses the word "Angela" to hospitality employees, they discreetly intervene and help the person get to safety by reuniting them with friends, calling a taxi, or contacting the police if necessary.

Hayley Crawford, a substance misuse co-ordinator, came up with the idea of "Ask for Angela"

When the BBC filmed secretly in pubs and clubs across London last year, staff in more than half of the venues they visited did not respond to the codeword.

The training, offered on the morning of 20 August, will teach safe intervention techniques that staff could use when they hear the name "Angela".

The council is also calling for more venues to sign up for the scheme, to join places like The Wig and Pen and The Althorp Inn.

The Wig and Pen in Northampton is one of the pubs that has signed up to the scheme

Charlie Hastie, the Reform UK council's cabinet member for communities, said: "This training is really important both for our venues to feel confident in responding and intervening in situations, as well as for local residents and those that visit us to feel safe and supported when they visit.

"This training provides a great opportunity to raise awareness of this important initiative, and I really hope venues take this up by booking onto the session."

The council said venues that sign up could have access to training opportunities as well as posters and stickers to promote the scheme.