CAMBRIDGE STREET PASTORS
Why Street Pastors?
Did you know that alcohol related violence and anti-social behaviour are among the top safety and policing priorities for central Cambridge? And that most incidents, and many of the 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.
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Who pays us
All Street Pastors are volunteers - neither salary or expenses are paid. So our main cost is the employment of part-time staff who run things day to day and develop 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. Finally, Cambridge City Council has offered very generous support for the three years from 2011/12 to 2013/14.
We need to increase our financial support to sustain Friday and Saturday night patrols and to launch patrols on weekdays nights. There are several ways do this. e.g. 
- You can give on-line by using Localgiving.com - this provides an easy way to give including using Gift Aid
- Download the attached form and send it in with your gift
- Use JustTextGiving - text CBSP11 £10 to 70070 to make a donation of £10 - this can also be gift aided, instructions will be sent to you by text once the gift is sent. Amounts of £5, £4, £3, £2, or £1 can also be given this way.
Who manages us
Cambridge Street Pastors is registered charity and a membership organisaiton which is run by a Management Committee (Trustees) elected from and by its Members. We encourage members of local churches and any organisation that is working with us to become a Member of Cambridge Street Pastors: this gives you the opportunity to participate in the organisation by coming along to the AGM as a voting member, receiving detailed newsletters, joining patrols any time as an Observer, etc.
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. We would encourage you to make a gift, or even better, regular gifts on becoming a Member and this can be done using the same form.
Staff
We are blessed by the hard work and dedication of Gillian Overitt, our Coordinator and Alan Lowe, our Patrols and Outreach Manager, who works for us under an arrangement with Hope Cambridge. Gillian handles all volunteer recruitment and training and all reporting and communications. Alan has responsibility for patrol operations and for reaching out to the wider community of church, state and secular friends and supporters, to help us grow the team, grow the work and sustain the funding needed.
Volunteers
Friday night patrols started in March 2009 and we added Saturday night patrols in March 2010. We are keen to expand the work further and of course Street Pastors do not last for ever - their circumstances change or they move away from Cambridge. So we always we need more volunteer Street Pastors who can fulfil the Volunteer Specification. 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 Romsey Mill Centre
Hemingford Road
Cambridge
CB1 3BZ
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
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