VIDEO: First Night Out For the Tiverton Street Pastors

TIVERTON’s newest line up to a Saturday night has been

welcomed to the town by partygoers, who now have somebody to look out for them

when they’re out late at night.

Every Saturday from 8.00pm until late, street pastors will

be out on patrol in the town centre. I joined first set of street

pastors heading out into a cold dark Tivvy night among those who may have had a

bit too much drink – but of course were having a good time, and nothing I’m a

stranger to doing myself.

We had just sung the hymn ‘Go in the Strength of the Lord’ at

the inauguration ceremony at the Methodist Church on Saturday 13, and the song was a good choice for such an occassion.

The Right Reverend Bob Evens, Bishop of Crediton

commissioned twenty-two new pastors who will patrol the streets of Tiverton in

groups of four rotating the teams every few weeks.

The street pastor scheme began in London seven years ago, and there now over one hundred teams of pastors in the UK.

Each city or town project is set up by

Ascension Trust and run by a local coordinator with support from

Ascension Trust and local churches and community groups, in partnership

with Police, Council and other statutory agencies.

At first it does seem a little odd and a little quirky, but

you quickly realise that it actually does work - and will work here in Tiverton.

Bishop Bob told me that when people know that pastors are

there to pick you up if you feel alone or worried, or if you need help. He

added: “Experience elsewhere says it takes around a year for people to get used

to it. Police tell us that crime drops and people don’t run into difficulties

as a pastor is there to guide, get home and offer a safe place.”

But why the need for street pastors in Tiverton? Surely in

such a small town we don’t have problems to warrant this. Inspector Matt Lawler

from the Devon & Cornwall Constabulary was able to answer this : “The street

pastor scheme have organised themselves, and it’s about church principles in

action. Every community has issues that street pastors can get involved in.

“It doesn’t have to be a high crime area, in fact, it doesn’t

even have to be anything to do with crime, it’s about providing help and

support, and looking after people in the local community.”

Tiverton Mayor Paul Graham, added that he has been

following the scheme for some time: “I’ve been keeping an eye on Torquay, Truro

and Exeter where the scheme has been working very well.

“It’s something I’d like to get involved in sometime, and

they’ve got my support and I’ve welcomed it with open arms.

“It offers a different perspective on people’s lives. On a

Saturday night, some people when they see a police officer may be thinking –here

we go again – but when they’ve got a friendly face of a street pastor, they may

be more willing to open up.”

Following the church service, which had some very catchy live

music , I joined tonight’s team leader, Bruce Govett –  I joked he could be called Bruce Almighty. His team included his wife Kathy

Govett, Mary White, and Julian Sydenham. Julian – a postman during the day - who seemed to know everyone in the town, and it

was rare to pass somebody who didn’t recognise him.

Dressed smartly in their uniform for the cold weather, and a reflective street pastor notice on the back of their coats, we

headed out onto Gold Street not quite knowing what we would encounter.

After a police briefing with Sgt Rob Curtis who told us

there was no outstanding incidents for the first time in two years, there was

also a short guide from PCSO Dion Howells on how to use the radio receivers.

The pastors also use their walkie-talkies to contact people

back at the CHAT building on Gold Street when something happens in the town –

like a fight breaks out. Then a group of prayer partners will pray and ask for

help in these situations.

The radios are linked up with bouncers from all the pubs and clubs in the town, so everyone, and link back to the main police control room, so everyone can keep in touch about what's happening.

At 10.30pm we finally got out onto the streets. It

was quiet at first, but everyone that the pastors passed greeted them with a

smile or acknowledgement.

People such as Toni Setherton who told them that they are

doing a wonderful job. She said: “What they’re doing is really really great. I’m

really chuffed, not to sound all soppy because I’m drunk, but I do think they’re

great.”

Her enthusiasm for the new scheme seemed to be shared by

many – especially those getting help from the pastors later on in the night. Their energetic and positive response spurred the team on through the night

and made it a pleasurable experience.

One thing which was annoying to me – even thought I’m not a

street pastor – is something overheard, and not surprisingly what some may

think at first : “Oh, they’re just people who will talk to you about Jesus.”

This couldn’t be further from the truth. As Mary told one of

the people who asked what they were doing: “We’re out and around the town, making

sure that everyone is safe, and hopefully diffuse a situation rather than

getting the police involved.”

In fact, throughout the whole evening, Jesus, or religion

wern’t mentioned unless somebody else brought it up. The pastors pride

themselves on not being preachers, but of course, wouldn’t be afraid to answer

questions about faith if asked or challenged about it.

It was still quiet at around 11.30pm, and I got the

opportunity to ask Julian why he decided to become a street pastor: “I really

care for my community, and I felt there was a need to go out on the streets,

and actually be there for people.

“I’m a Christian, and like Jesus, he went out on the

streets, and now I’m doing the same. He really told us to go, and here we are,

we’re going tonight, and I’m excited because you just don’t know what you’re

going to face.”

Like all the pastors, Julian is passionate about Tiverton

and takes pride in what they are doing.

One of the first things that they came across was a plant

that had been ripped from it’s pot on Fore Street, and this was placed back

safely into its flowerbed. A glass was also found in the flowerbed and returned

across the road to the Four in Hand.

Some smashed glass was found on the road in Bridge Street

and with a magic pastor bag full of useful equipment such as a dustpan and

brush.

Bruce told me that it is important to make sure no glass is

left lying around as it could cause serious injury. If somebody needed an X-ray

they would have to travel into Exeter because the machine in Tiverton is closed

overnight, and an ambulance could be doing something more worthwhile.

Come midnight it was time for the mass exodus as the police

had warned about earlier. This is the time when everyone leaves The Bank and Twyford,

and heads towards Remedies, and the pastors were called into action once again.

A girl had cut knee after falling over in The Bank, and with

the help of their magic bag, the pastors used anti-septic wipe to clear away the blood that was dripping down her leg. It was slightly embarrassing for

her to have three pastors crowding around, with everyone looking on, but she

was able to see the funny side of it, and was glad they were there to help.

Bruce told me: “We have been trained in order to deal with

minor incidents, and to recognise things which we actually do need a paramedic

to deal with it."

When everyone had gone to Remedies, Bruce’s wife Kathy told

me why they both decided to get involved with the scheme: “It just sounded like

a really brilliant initiative, and decided it’s something we should get

involved with.

“People just seem really positive tonight about us being

here, and I’m really excited about being part of it – the time is flying by so

quickly.”

Then as Remedies was closing near 3am, a girl came up to the

team and showed them her feet – she had been wearing high heels all night and

wanted something which would be a lot easier to walk home in. Once again, the

bag that the pastors carried around with them came up trumps and there was one

remaining pair of flip flops left.

The girl was very grateful to the pastors and flip flopped

off home with her boyfriend.

Closing time at Remedies was quiet, and the pastors enjoyed

some chips from a nearby fast food joint, which was needed as it was a bitterly

cold night, but thankfully not as bad as what it has been like.

People stumbled out from Remedies and the pastors looked

on and wern’t called to anything serious. It was just a case of looking out for

people as they walked home before returning to CHAT near 4.00am.

Bruce summed up the evening saying : “It’s been a wonderful

positive evening, with a great team who have all worked well together.”

The team of course, will back together very soon, but in the

coming weeks, new teams of pastors will get to be the new kids on the block as

they become a street pastor for the very first time – if they are greeted as

well as the team out tonight they’ll have no problems at all.