Caring on the streets of Bury St Edmunds on Friday and Saturday nights from 10.00pm to 4.00am
Town Pastors are Christian volunteers who are there to listen, care for and help people. They offer assistance in a non-judgmental and unconditional way. Town Pastors seek to be a positive presence on the streets, available to offer support to vulnerable people, de-escalate potential trouble and generally provide a friendly presence in the bar and club area of the town centre. Town Pastors carry provisions such as bottled water, tissues, foil blankets and the legendary Freddo bar!
Why the community needs usAlthough Bury St Edmunds is generally a safe place, like any town with a vibrant night-time economy, it does have issues related to drunkenness and anti-social behaviour. Young people sometimes become very vulnerable, especially if they are under the influence of alcohol or become separated from friends. Town Pastors are a 'friendly presence' alongside the door-staff, police, and emergency services as part of the team working to make Bury St Edmunds a safer place on a Friday and Saturday night.
Our impact on the communityBenefits of having Town Pastors on the streets include help for those who have consumed excessive amounts of alcohol, peaceful outcomes to potentially violent situations and helping vulnerable people to find a way to get home safely. Town Pastors also reduce the risk of injury by removing bottles and glasses (potential weapons) from the streets. People are usually very appreciative of the Town Pastors. They are frequently thanked for help on specific occasions, and for making people feel safe.
