First street pastors in district start work

Billingshurst Street Pastors start work tonight (Friday May 24) after a commissioning service at the village Methodist church.
The Billingshurst Street Pastors' inauguration service in October 2012 - Pictured from left, Ben Martin (Billingshurst Family Church), Revd Kenneth Lynch (Trinity United Reformed Church), Emma Fogg (Billingshurst Street Pastors), PC Philip La Roche (Sussex Police), Alison Murray (Ascension Trust), Revd Brian Pritchard (St Marys Church) - picture submittedThe Billingshurst Street Pastors' inauguration service in October 2012 - Pictured from left, Ben Martin (Billingshurst Family Church), Revd Kenneth Lynch (Trinity United Reformed Church), Emma Fogg (Billingshurst Street Pastors), PC Philip La Roche (Sussex Police), Alison Murray (Ascension Trust), Revd Brian Pritchard (St Marys Church) - picture submitted
The Billingshurst Street Pastors' inauguration service in October 2012 - Pictured from left, Ben Martin (Billingshurst Family Church), Revd Kenneth Lynch (Trinity United Reformed Church), Emma Fogg (Billingshurst Street Pastors), PC Philip La Roche (Sussex Police), Alison Murray (Ascension Trust), Revd Brian Pritchard (St Marys Church) - picture submitted

The joint church initiative intends to serve the village by having trained teams of people in public spaces where there could be a need for a friendly face and commitment to help.

Volunteer Andrew Colwell said: “Traditionally Street Pastors’ have been based in urban areas and are associated with helping people after they leave pubs and clubs in the early hours of the morning. Recently however street pastor groups have been set up in rural areas who have particular needs of their own.

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“Just by saying ‘hello’ to everyone we meet, from groups of teenagers to the isolated of all ages, will be the primary way of our interacting with the community.

“We hope that we will become a useful resource for all of our community so that Billingshurst remains a friendly and positive place for people to live and work.”

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