Accompanying Street Pastors In Early Hours

14.02.07

Following a call from a resident last Thursday, Edward Davey Local Lib Dem MP Edward Davey joined Kingston Street Pastors in Kingston Town Centre last Friday night/Saturday morning, on their weekly patrol offering help and advice to people.

Since June 2006 a group of Christian volunteers from churches across the Borough have gone out every Friday night, not to enjoy a drink but to look out and care for the vulnerable. They offer advice and support and just their presence can help defuse potentially violent situations. Street Pastors even pick up bottles and glasses left in the streets, so they can’t be used as weapons and so that broken glass won’t hurt any women who choose to take off their shoes on their way home.

Edward Davey, an ardent supporter of Street Pastors, decided to tag along on Friday 12th January from 10pm until 4am Saturday.  Edward thoroughly enjoyed the evening, chatting with Kingston party goers and witnessing the contribution that Kingston Street Pastors give to the community.

Commenting on the evening Edward Davey MP said,

“I was truly inspired by the evening. These amazing volunteers do something no one else has achieved – or even thought of doing – bringing real peace to the streets just by being there.

“Several times people queuing up for clubs recognised the Street Pastors as they’d been helped on a previous occasion. Some people stopped and asked what a Street Pastor was – most were really impressed and responded well – though one person whose spelling clearly wasn’t good thought they were something to do with spaghetti.

“From the information cards the Pastors carry and hand out to people, to the help they give people wanting to use licensed and legally operated taxis and cabs, this is a truly well organised initiative. Each Pastor undergoes rigorous training, and they have close contact with the police and Kingston’s CCTV operation centre.

“Kingston is a much safer place thanks to Kingston’s Street Pastors.”