KEY POINTS:
Concert-goers have been told to expect the odd divine experience at Gisborne's Rhythm & Vines music festival this year.
So successful were the House of Breakthrough angels last year, that they are back, with twice as many of them this time round.
House of Breakthrough operations director, Lorna Bates says they will have 22 angels – each chaperoned by a security person – floating around the grounds at Rhythm & Vines.
The Gisborne New Year festival has mushroomed to 15,000 this year – up 3000 on last year.
"We had such a tremendous response about the angels last year," said Bates. The angels also made quite an impact on the festival.
"They found a lot of people who needed a helping hand and would quite often escort them up to the ambulance area if they were in need of first aid, gave directions, and helped people find their way around the site and to locate missing friends."
The angels are easily identifiable by the halos and wings they wear.
House of Breakthrough will also be helping with waste management where they will have around 40 people split into teams continually sweeping the venue throughout the festival.
Festival security is something House of Breakthrough has been involved with for many years. This year at R&V they are doing second line security, which involves site patrols.
"Our teams are all trained and have worked seven years at Parachute, one of the country's largest festivals," says Bates.
They have helped save lives just by being in the right place at the right time.
"We do a lot of problem solving… our security men have a friendly yet firm approach, but they won't stand for any nonsense. They have that ability to calm down situations without aggression."
Bates says the House of Breakthrough congregation gets great satisfaction in helping festivals like R&V be a success.
"We love being able to help the community – to know that people are having a good yet safe time."
It is an extension of the work the church does throughout the community throughout the year.
"Our teams all have fun at R&V," she says. "They love working with each other and are good mates. These are people who know how to work together, enjoy their work and have lots of fun doing it."
All money raised through their work at R&V will be used on projects in the Gisborne community.
