Northumberland charity launches safety app to help protect people in the North East
A new safety app that allows people to alert friends, share their location and record evidence if they feel threatened is being rolled out across the North East.
Developed by Northumberland charity Right to Resist, VigilAuntie has been designed to help people feel safer when walking home alone, enjoying a night out or finding themselves in an uncomfortable or potentially dangerous situation.
With just one tap, the free app begins recording and alerts up to five trusted friends, who receive a text message allowing them to access a live video stream and see the user's location.
Unlike simply recording a video on a phone, footage is streamed directly to secure cloud storage and saved for a year, meaning it cannot be deleted by someone taking or damaging the device.
The charity hopes the technology will not only help people respond to threatening situations but also act as a deterrent, potentially preventing harassment, intimidation or assault from escalating.
The app has already received an enthusiastic response from students at Newcastle University, where it was introduced during a pilot launch in autumn 2025.
One student said: "I haven't felt that safe in Newcastle and I feel like having VigilAuntie on my phone would make me feel safer."
Another commented: "My whole flat has downloaded VigilAuntie so we can keep each other safe."
The app is the brainchild of Right to Resist co-founders Belinda Speir and Tod Yeadon, who established the charity to help people protect themselves from bullying, harassment and threatening behaviour.
Belinda, who is a former teacher, said: "The North East has the highest rate of violence against women and girls in England and we all want to know that the people we care about are safe.
"Nobody should have to feel frightened going about their everyday life, but unfortunately we know that harassment and threatening situations can happen anywhere.”
The app has been developed with guidance from Lord John Stevens, former Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police and former Chief Constable of Northumbria Police.
Tod Yeadon, co-founder said: “One of the most important things about VigilAuntie is that you don't need to wait until something happens to benefit from it.
"Having the app ready on your phone, with your trusted contacts already selected, means you can act quickly if you ever feel uncomfortable or threatened.”