Street pastors to soothe tensions

TEAMS of "street pastors" are to be introduced in Nottingham city centre to help revellers and reduce antisocial behaviour.

The project will cost £53,000, which will be used to recruit and train 96 pastors.

The money has come from a combination of private organisations , the city council and Nottingham Crime and Drugs Partnership.

The pastors will be recruited through churches but they are not allowed to talk to people about religion, unless asked.

The volunteers will help people into taxis, clear away broken glass, provide first aid and support people who have had too much to drink.

Alan Given, chief executive of the Nottingham Crime and Drugs Partnership, said: "The more people who we can get working on the streets engaging with communities the better. Experience tells us street pastors from other parts of the country can engage people that uniformed services cannot.

"When you get people outside takeaways or in taxi queues, tensions can start to rise if people are late or getting tired. We have found street pastors can be quite effective."

Similar schemes have operated in other cities, which claim to have helped reduce crime.

In Derby, where the street pastors won a Derbyshire Police Community Achievement Award last month, they have come into contact with 10,000 people, giving first aid to 100, in six months.

Insp Nick Daines of Derbyshire Police said: "Their work is not about going out and preaching, they are simply there to listen, care and offer support. They are truly inspirational and make the streets of Derby safer."

It is hoped the street pastors will take some pressure off the police and health service.

On a typical night in Derby, the pastors provide safety blankets to people who have got drunk and are inappropriately dressed for the weather, pick up scores of bottles, smooth tensions in taxi queues, and give away "spikeys" to stop drinks being spiked, flip-flops to women whose feet hurt because of their high heels, and bottles of water.

The pastors in Nottingham will work with Notts Police, Community Protection Officers and other city council representatives. They will be based at the Malt Cross pub in St James's Street.

The scheme will launch in Nottingham next month. Initially there will be 50 pastors out on the streets. They'll receive 12 training sessions before they are deployed, covering first aid, counselling, mentoring and self defence. Notts Police will provide conflict management training. Checks on the pastors will be conducted through the Criminal Records Bureau.