CAMBRIDGE STREET PASTORS
More Street Pastors and Prayer Pastors always welcome!
Why Street Pastors?
Did you know that the top safety and policing priorities for Cambridge are alcohol related violence and anti-social behaviour? And that most incidents, and many of the 1,250 hospital admissions each year that result, occur in the “night-time-economy” hours from 10pm to 4am? And that they mainly result from young people becoming intoxicated in pubs and clubs? Cambridgeshire police and local government officials agree that there needs to be a pastoral as well as a policing response to this problem.
Cambridge has not yet suffered from the wave of knife and gun crime which is often in our newspaper headlines – the weapons used on our streets and in the pubs and clubs of Cambridge are still fists and feet.
And even if these more dramatic problems are not evident, some of those out late at night do become in need of help - to get home, find their friends, be safe, recover from over-indulgence, use a pastoral ear. What should the church do?
Cambridge Street Pastors is an interdenominational Church response to these problems in Cambridge. Similar groups operate in some 200 locations across the UK. Street Pastors was started in the UK by the Ascension Trust and Ascension Trust provides standard uniforms, nationally agreed protocols, some initial training and a helpline for local groups which are all independent charities. It is an opportunity for the church to go out to meet people where they are, declaring the love of God in practical action and always being ready to give an account of the Hope that is in us.
With encouragement from police and local government officials, a group of Cambridge church leaders launched Cambridge Street Pastors on Friday 27th March 2009.
Who are we?
In Cambridge, as elsewhere, Street Pastors are Christians from local churches recruited in a volunteer capacity to join the Street Pastors team. They come from right across the Christian Community. Candidates must be 18 or over, obtain references and a CRB check and attend the training course run across 10 Saturdays over a period of 7-8 months, with the first three Saturdays attended before starting patrols. Street Pastors patrol the central areas of Cambridge on Friday and Saturday nights, 10pm – 4am. Each patrol comprises 4 Street Pastors and we ask each Street Pastor to commit to about one patrol a month.
When on duty Street Pastors wear distinctive uniforms carrying the Street Pastors logo including winter or summer jackets, polo shirt and cap or beanie. Equipment includes ID cards, phones/radios and a notebook. We carry water, flip-flops, wipes, tissues, maps, etc. And a dustpan and brush to sweep up broken glass.
What do we do?
Street Pastors walk the streets around the main pubs and clubs area in the centre of Cambridge (see map) developing listening, pastoral relationships with anybody who may need help or who just want to chat. We provide a range of practical help so that people can get home or get to their next destination safely and in good order. And anyone can continue a conversation the next day by contacting the Street Pastors Coordinator via phone or email.
View Larger Map
Who pays us
All Street Pastors are volunteers - neither salary or expenses are paid. So our main cost is the employment of a part-time Coordinator, who runs things day to day and develops the team of Street Pastors. In addition we have regular weekly costs (patrol supplies, training, etc.), a licence fee payable to Ascension Trust and uniforms to purchase. We are grateful to the many who generously provide financial support.
We are most grateful to the Cambridge Community Safety Partnership for very generous support from the Safer Cities Fund 2008/9, which helped us start Friday night patrols, and from the Safer and Stronger Communities Fund 2009/10 towards the start-up of Saturday night patrols. We also acknowledge with thanks the generous provision of Grassroots Grants which is managed by the Cambridgeshire Community Foundation.
We need to increase our financial support to sustain Friday and Saturday night patrols in 2010. You can do this by becoming a Member of Cambridge Street Pastors, giving you the opportunity to participate in the organisation by coming along to the AGM as a voting member, receiving detailed newsletters, joining patrols as an Observer, etc. Or you can just give anyway without becoming a Member.
Gifts to support the work. made payable to Cambridge Street Pastors, and Membership applications should be submitted using the Membership and Gift Form which contains all the details you need. Please complete and return to the address below.
Volunteers
Saturday night patrols started in March 2010 - and we are keen to expand the work further. To do this we need more volunteer Street Pastors. Please get in contact using the details below to find out more, or you can apply using the on-line Volunteer Street Pastor Application Form. Alternatively you can download or print a hard-copy form, complete it and send it in by post or email.
Prayer is crucial to the work of Street Pastors - we are particularly keen to find Prayer Pastors to "watch and pray" each Friday and Saturday night while the Street Pastors are on patrol! Please get in contact if you can help here.
Thank you for your support!
Cambridge Street Pastors
c/o Barnwell Baptist Church
Howard Road
Cambridge
CB5 8QS
Registered Charity 1130842
01223 727452
Coordinator - Gillian Overitt
Tel: 07588 560 090
Email: cambridge@streetpastors.org.uk
Chair - Chris Jenkin
Tel: 01223 841809
Email: christopher.jenkin@ntlworld.com
Web: www.cambridgestreetpastors.org.uk
|