Taunton Street Pastors praised by Police

Deputy Chief Constable Rob Beckley will be addressing Street Pastors alongside church and civic leaders in Taunton this month as new recruits are added to the team of Christian volunteers who offer support and practical help to late night revellers.

For those of you who still don't know what these fantastic people do, they are out there on the Streets of Taunton in the wee small hours,offering help and support to those who are one of the the eight and need a helping hand. they make the streets safer for young women trying to get home after a night out and pick up the pieces  when there is a damsel in distress. They offer flip flops to sore footed dancers,bottles of water to the dehydrated and hand out spikeys, special straws that seal bottles to make it impossible for pills to be dropped into your drinks on the sly.  They also pick up broken bottles and offer a listening ear. They are all trained volunteers and wherver they are the night time crime rates have dropped.  

The County town's existing Street Pastors and guests including the Mayor and Mayoress of Taunton Deane have been invited to hold a Commissioning ceremony in one of Taunton's biggest entertainment venues.

 Okoko nightclub in Bridge Street is hosting the event at 8.30 pm on Friday 16th September ahead of its regular programme of music and dancing at 10 pm.

Eight members of local churches have completed the training course required for all new recruits and will be commissioned into the growing family of Street Pastors by Major Martin Hill, Divisional Commander of The Salvation Army in the South West and formerly a pioneer of the Street Pastor movement in Scotland. Representing the governing body, the Ascension Trust Charity, Major Hill will invite the new team members to commit themselves to the service of their local community offering a listening ear, sympathetic care and practical help.

Deputy Chief Constable Rob Beckley is the Association of Chief Police Officers' (ACPO) lead for citizens in policing. Speaking in advance of the occasion he said:"Taunton Street Pastors are a fantastic example of community spirit in action. I am a firm believer that the police service should encourage and support the public in making their own communities safer. Street Pastors play a vital role at key times of the evening by being extra eyes and ears on the street, assisting vulnerable people and preventing crime. They have helped the police to become even more effective in our joint mission to make people be safe and feel safe, day and night. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their important work and look forward to further strengthening our partnership."

DCC Beckley will present certificates marking the graduation of the trainees from their 60 hours of formal training in subjects such as Child Protection, First Aid, understanding youth culture, mental health issues, drug and alcohol awareness, homelessness and listening skills.  The course also includes gaining practical experience of aspects of the late night economy including the CCTV service.

The minister of North Street Church, the Revd Vince Carrington, is Chairman of the local Street Pastor management team and will be inviting the gathering to gives thanks to God for the difference the scheme has made to the night-time economy but more importantly the safety of many individuals over the last four years of operation.

"It will be an unusual experience to lead a short time of worship in a night club but I am thrilled to be able to demonstrate that God's love and care for people knows no limits of time or location. We enjoy our encounters with young people on the streets of our town in the early hours of a morning and are always pleased, if occasionally surprised, when they invite us to ask God to help them cope with problems or relationship issues.

"We are grateful for the goodwill of everyone involved with Taunton's late night economy and with the help of the new team members being commissioned this month we are committed to making sure God's love continues to be made known in practical ways."  

66 members of local churches each give up a Friday or Saturday evening once a month to patrol the streets and befriend patrons of pubs and clubs, helping many, especially young people, who find themselves in need of help in the town centre late at night. The trained volunteers whose ages range from mid-twenties to late seventies, listen and offer practical care, helping to arrange a safe journey home wherever possible. Street Pastors will be mounting additional patrols on Carnival Night on Saturday 15th October and in the build up to Christmas and New Year. Some Taunton Street Pastors have also offered to serve in other parts of the country next summer as part of an Olympic service team.  

A training programme to recruit additional Street Pastors from among the local church congregations will commence in the autumn and a Friends Group welcomes interest by those who wish to lend their support to those who offer care at night on the streets of the County Town. Anyone interested in learning more is asked to email taunton@streetpastors.org.uk or telephone 07773 038 622.