Street Pastors ready to take to the town centre

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BROMSGROVE'S Street Pastors will be taking to the streets of the town centre a week on Friday (July 27).

There will be a special service of blessing and a dedication for the Street Pastors at St John's Church at 6.30pm, before they head out at 10pm.

The Street Pastors will walk around Bromsgrove town centre between 10pm every Friday night and 4am on a Saturday morning, helping revellers who have either become over-exhuberent or depressed - mostly because of the effects of alcohol. At present, there are 18 Bromsgrove street pastors and a team of 16 night-base volunteers to support them, but more are being sought to join the ranks.

The scheme, which has been started by Churches Together in Bromsgrove (CTiB) and the Ascension Trust, will run every Friday to begin with, but it is hoped that it will soon be extended to Saturdays as well.

At the event next Friday will be several local dignatries, including representatives from Worcestershire County Council, Bromsgrove Court Leet, Bromsgrove District Council, local businesses, the police, Redditch and Bromsgrove Community Safety Partnership, MP Sajid Javid, and others.

Rev Les Isaac from the Ascension Trust will also be at the event. He was awarded an OBE in June for the work he has done introducing the Street Pastors.

The first Street Pastors scheme was launched in 2003 and there are now 250 teams operating around the UK.

Jo Paveley, spokesperson for the Bromsgrove Street Pastors, said the reaction from everyone towards the scheme had been fantastic.

"We have also been overwhelmed by the level of support we have received from the police and the council - both financially and with regard to help, advice and training," she added.

Anyone wanting more information on the scheme or wanting to get involved, can call 07591 164847, e-mail bromsgrove@streetpastors.org.uk or search for 'Bromsgrove Street Pastors' on Facebook.

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