|
 
Graham Boot-Handford gives an update on bringing Street Pastors to the late-night streets of Tavistock
By the time you read this, Street Pastors should have started walking the streets of Tavistock. 15 volunteers from various churches in the Tavistock area have been trained in a range of subjects so they are equipped to walk the streets on Saturday nights blessing the community and helping out wherever possible. The 'night time economy' is one which many older adults steer well clear of, but it is an expanding sector. More and more young people spend their recreational time in the pubs and clubs of our towns and cities. As people come out of the bars and it's then when some are at their most vulnerable. Street Pastors are there to help, to be 'Good Samaritans'.
The training course is due to finish when this magazine goes to print, with the first patrols going out, hopefully, in late November. During this time, Prayer Pastors are also being trained. Prayer Pastors will work the same hours as the Street Pastors, but remain in the background fulfilling that essential task, praying! Street and Prayer Pastors will be in contact by mobile phone to ensure that all the situations the Street Pastors encounter will be prayed about in 'real time'.
One story we heard from another Street Pastor operation was from a grateful parent who, knowing that the Street Pastors were out, said she felt so much less worried about her daughter's safety. The police have also been very supportive; in Plymouth they have said that they know when the Street Pastors are out as the atmosphere on the streets is calmer (and this is Union Street they're talking about!). A Street Pastors initiative in Torbay has led to reduced crime rates according to the police – see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/ devon/7885239.stm for a report from earlier this year.
If you want to know more then go to http://www.streetpastors.co.uk, or contact Roger Bird (01822 810003 or email: rogbird@me.com) or Graham Boot-Handford (01822 841185 or email: grahambh123@gmail.com)
|
