Patrols involve more laughter than tears, say street pastors

Over the course of the patrols - on December 23, 2016 and January 13 - both "quieter than expected nights", there were two incidents involving the emergency services and 16 pairs of flip-flops were handed out to women to help prevent injuries.

The pastors also managed to stop an argument on the first patrol, persuade under-age drinkers to calm down and started getting to know the town's doormen.

From December, the uniformed street pastors have been patrolling the town centre to provide a "passive, peaceful presence". They are out on the second and fourth Fridays of the month between 10.45pm and 3.30am.

Debbie Williams, St Helens street pastor coordinator, said her first impressions are that most people are very friendly… but they don't wear coats!

She said: "On the whole, people were pleased to see us, they stopped and chatted.

"The nights were both quieter than the average Friday – one because it was the night before Christmas Eve, and the other because it was mid-January and lots of people have spent up over Christmas.

“The streets were generally quiet until about 1am and then people started moving around, between bars.”

Asked about the most worrying incident they experienced, she said: “One night, we saw a lad sitting by a lamppost and went to chat to him - he pointed out another lad who was in a bad state on a bench. We found him, put a space blanket around him and waited with him and his friend for the ambulance.

"The lad was about 20 and was only wearing jeans and a t-shirt. He had a friend with him, who went along in the ambulance."

There was a second incident involving a young woman who seemed like she needed medical assistance, but an assessment at the scene was all that was required.

Pastors carry basic first aid kits, space blankets, water, sweets and flip-flops.

"Sweets because they help sober people up,” Debbie said. “On the first night, we gave out 14 pairs of flip-flops. One woman took her shoes off as she was struggling to walk in her heels so we gave her some flip-flops. She was really grateful, then she decided to go for a takeaway before getting a taxi - and as we came to Westfield Street, said she was going to put her high heels back on to go into the takeaway as she didn't want be seen in flip-flops but was reassured when we told her we given out quite a few pairs in that area already!"

Four pastors go on each patrol, sometimes breaking into two pairs who keep within sight of each other. They start on Duke Street and make their way to the centre, focussing on Westfield Street, Church Square, Chalon Way and taxi ranks.

Debbie said: "We also look into the side streets and cut-throughs.

"Some people are actually worried about us and come up to us saying 'don't go down there', which is really touching!

"We spoke to a group of under-age drinkers in Church Square and managed to persuade them to calm down.

"An argument was brewing between some men in one area, and we spoke to them and thankfully diffused the situation."

They also remove hazards such as bottles, glasses, broken glass and cans from streets as these could lead to accidents or injuries, especially if people don't have shoes on.

The pastors range in age from their 20s upwards, and have a range of ‘day jobs’, from housewives to an ex-police officer and a lecturer.

Debbie said: "You get some nice surprises when you are out. Someone was walking a dog and they kept coming around, doing circuits, so we chatted to her. She said she enjoyed the night-time atmosphere. In general, there is a strong sense of community, more so than in other areas. You get the feeling people look out for each other.

The aim is that, as more pastors are recruited, further patrols will be added so that eventually street pastors will be out every Friday throughout the year.

Ascension Trust, the organisation which licenses street pastors in the UK, accepts volunteers aged 18 or above from the Christian community who have been committed to a church fellowship for more than a year.