Milestones

Ask for Angela became established as a Community Interest Company (CIC) in 2023 by Sylvia Oates, Iwona Kossek and James Hoffelner, with a shared commitment to supporting safer environments and strengthening the future of the scheme.

In August 2024, we launched the Ask for Angela Ambassador Programme, bringing together individuals and organisations who actively support the promotion of safer spaces and safeguarding awareness.

The programme is proudly supported by:

• Dawn Butler, MP for Brent East

• Satia Rai, International Professional Security Association

• Duncan King, Skiddle

In February 2025, Ask for Angela training was accredited by the BIIAB. This accreditation means the course has been independently assessed and meets nationally recognised standards, further strengthening the quality and credibility of the training provided.

In July 2025, Ask for Angela featured in Episode 2, Series 1 of the BBC comedy series Such Brave Girls.

Ask for Angela formed part of Latitude Festival’s wider safety measures, helping ensure festival-goers could access discreet support whenever needed.

In August 2025, Ask for Angela won the Sage Small Business XI Competition, with the organisation’s name displayed pitch-side during one of the matches in The Hundred.

Ask for Angela was implemented across Leeds Festival as part of the festival’s safety measures, with staff briefed across venues and bars to support anyone needing discreet assistance.

In October 2025, Ask for Angela was featured on BBC Crimewatch. Sylvia Oates, Director of Ask for Angela, appeared on the programme alongside Angela’s daughter, Hollie, to discuss the importance and impact of the scheme.

Also in October 2025, Ask for Angela featured in the BBC drama series Blue Lights.

Ask for Angela was launched across Mad Monkey Hostels in Southeast Asia and Australia, helping strengthen support for solo travellers through safer, more inclusive environments and staff training across all properties.

In December 2025, Ask for Angela supported the Greater Manchester Combined Authority in rolling out Online Vulnerability Training across Greater Manchester, helping strengthen awareness and staff confidence across the region.

In January 2026, Ask for Angela supported the Government of Western Australia in rolling out the scheme across Perth, helping strengthen awareness and accessibility of the initiative internationally. Since May 2026, the scheme has now been rolled out across the entirety of Western Australia.

In February 2026, Ask for Angela was launched across Unite Students properties, becoming the UK’s first national Ask for Angela scheme within student accommodation and helping strengthen support for students across its sites.

In February 2026, Ask for Angela posters featured in Coronation Street, helping further raise awareness of the scheme with audiences across the UK.

In March 2026, the new Ask for Angela website launched in partnership with Electric Cat, helping improve accessibility to training, resources and support for organisations and venues.

In March 2026, we launched the Official Ask for Angela Pledge at Wembley Stadium. The pledge enables organisations and venues to formally declare that they operate the scheme consistently and responsibly.

Organisations who sign the pledge are added to the Official Ask for Angela map, helping customers and communities identify venues committed to safer environments. Alongside the launch, we also delivered online training to staff at Wembley Stadium.

In April 2026, Ask for Angela posters were displayed digitally during the England v Spain match at Wembley Stadium, helping raise awareness of the scheme to a national audience. Our message is now on rotation, permanently at all events.

In May, our online self-led Ask for Angela training successfully moved to Chrysalis Courses, helping make the training more accessible and easier to deliver across organisations and teams.

A huge thank you to the wonderful team at Chrysalis, and to our ambassador Ross Elliot, CEO and Managing Director of Chrysalis Group, for their continued support.

Ask for Angela formed part of the wider safety measures at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend, helping ensure attendees could access appropriate and effective support if needed.

In May 2026, Ask for Angela was announced a finalist in the British Training Awards 2026, recognising our commitment to creating safer spaces through impactful safeguarding training. This milestone highlights the growing importance of initiatives such as Ask for Angela in helping organisations better support people who may feel unsafe or at risk.