Pastors all set to patrol town centre (From Surrey Comet)

Pastors all set to patrol town centre

9:53am Friday 16th June 2006

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Kingston's new street pastors will be stepping out on their first night-time patrol on Friday night to lend a helping hand to those in need.

The team of 20 volunteers from 10 of Kingston's churches will be out on the streets of Kingston town centre every Friday night from June 16 onwards increasing to several times a weekend after the first month.

They are aiming to calm volatile situations and offer support to the vulnerable and lonely, but are not aiming to preach.

Kingston Street Pastors co-ordinator Paul Jacobs said: "Everybody is raring to go and really excited about getting started. We want to be part of the answer rather than part of the problem."

The street pastors will work in groups with distinctive blue jackets. They are trained in safety, first aid, drugs awareness and other issues.

The Street Pastors scheme was first piloted in 2003 in Brixton.

Pastors can help with anything from finding buses to more serious problems.

Mr Jacobs said: "There are a few people in Kingston who are vulnerable on a Friday or Saturday night and are prone to attack or getting hurt or lost.

"We just want to be the people who stop and say "are you OK?" and if they aren't we can help."

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