A Southend night bus service is gearing up to deal with casualties this Christmas as the party season gets underway.

The Southend SOS project provides a safe haven for revellers across Southend and Basildon throughout the year but is especially needed at this time of year to help those the worst for wear.

The service holds the Queen’s Award and Purple Flag award for keeping Southend safe with outstanding first aid and support for Southend and Basildon nightlife.

The SOS project manager John Bastin has been working for the charity since it began in 2005. He revealed some years are worse than others.

He said: “You would think we would be busier during the festive season, but it really depends. A majority of the Christmas parties are well organised, but the minority are not.

“It doesn’t shoot up, but it does increase.”

Last December the charity saw just 57 people through the bus doors compared to the 146 in August 2016.

Whereas there were 122 casualties in October 2016 and 137 in November that year.

Mr Bastin added: “It’s totally random. In the summer people are more inclined to drink throughout the day which can be a factor.”

The bus operates from 8pm through to 4am, however, John said they are often required to work beyond their hours.

He said: “We don’t extend our hours so much, but we deal with them whatever the time, however long it takes, if it means staying late we will.”

The busiest day for the team is often Friday as most firms close and employees take to the town. Something most venues prepare for.

A town link system has now been put in place for maximum efficiency, John said: “If there’s a problem at any of the venues across town it comes over the radios.

“We’ve been testing a system over the last few weekends, as its Christmas party season, which requires our volunteers to be on hand inside the venues.

“It’s called social care and it helps us to identify problems earlier. It’s definitely important in the lead up to Christmas. We are able to identify if someone needs looking after before it gets too bad.”

The volunteers mostly deal with those who are intoxicated, vulnerable and need help getting home, whether it be directions for the nearest taxi rank or a lift to the hospital.

The service also offers advice on alcohol and drug related issues as well as free flip-flops and contraception.

There is up to nine volunteers available throughout the night across the town centre. The charity recently received a boost with the donation of a decommissioned bus from Arriva. It launched a £70,000 fundraiser to kit the bus out to help more people.

Mr Bastin said: “People know where we are, and we also have a support vehicle running around the town.

“The bus is rather large and bright, so we are easy to spot.”

The organisation receives money from the venues for their services and it also offers first aid training to the security teams throughout Southend and Basildon as well as to the public. However, as charity it relies heavily on donations and grants to survive.

Mr Bastin added: “Donations are always welcomed, we always need money, that’s our problem.

“We did just receive some funding from Basildon’s Police and Crime Commissioner, but we struggle.

“We scrape by, but we could do with some nice benefactor.”

In May this year the charity workers was called to aid casualties after a man threatened two people with a samurai sword in Southend.

At around 1.55am on Saturday, May 27, two people were talking to a homeless man in High Street when another man ran towards them with a samurai sword. One of the victims suffered a cut to his hand and was quickly assisted by volunteers at the SOS Southend bus.

Mr Bastin said: “I’m not trying to play it down but it’s just something we deal with.

“We’re not going to jump in we just monitor the situation and when it’s over, deal with the casualties. We tell staff to stand back monitor what is happening, so we can tell the police when they arrive.”