Council helps fund group to protect Friday night revellers
Wednesday, 29th June 2011.
Haverhill Town Councillors have agreed to give £3,000 towards a new scheme to protect vulnerable people on Friday nights in the town.
Haverhill Town Pastors is a new group, set up from the town's churches, which will patrol the town centre and neighbouring areas on Friday nights when people may have got drunk and become vulnerable.
Captain Andrew Payne, the missioner from St Mary's Church, made a presentation about the work of town pastors in other towns in Suffolk, to town councillors at last night's meeting.
The scheme began in Ipswich and is now operational in most towns in Suffolk.
Capt Payne said Haverhill did not have the night-time economy problems of other larger towns, but there were still challenges and budgets for such agencies as the police were being reduced.
The town pastors do not get involved if violence has broken out, but can be an extra presence to try to prevent something happening, by handing out chocolate or water, and generally de-escalating the situation.
Capt Payne said the pastors were all volunteers and the estimated cost of setting up the scheme, about £13,000 over two years, was to buy jackets, radios, training and supplies of chocolate and water.
So far they have raised £6,000 and were asking for £3,000 to allow them to go ahead, with an option to come back and ask for another £3,000 in six months.
The scheme is enthusiastically supported by the police and town councillors were equally eager to see it go ahead.
Haverhill Safer Neighbourhood Team's Insp Chris Galley said the only area where Haverhill had seen a slight rise in crime was violence connected with drinking on Friday nights.
Capt Payne said after consultation with the police they had decided to begin their patrols at 9pm, which was earlier than in most other towns, and they would go on into the early hours of the morning.
They are training 16 volunteers at present, 13 of whom have agreed to be pastors, and the first patrol was planned for the first Friday in August.
Although organised through the churches, the town pastors have to sign up to a policy of not being evangelistic in any way.
Cllr Diana Andre said: "This group of volunteers is offering to reduce anti-social behaviour. For £3,000 is should say that is an absolute bargain. It's absolutely fantastic."
Councillors agreed to the initial funding and also asked the group to provide regular reports to the council on its activities.
Haverhill Town Pastors is a new group, set up from the town's churches, which will patrol the town centre and neighbouring areas on Friday nights when people may have got drunk and become vulnerable.
Captain Andrew Payne, the missioner from St Mary's Church, made a presentation about the work of town pastors in other towns in Suffolk, to town councillors at last night's meeting.
The scheme began in Ipswich and is now operational in most towns in Suffolk.
Capt Payne said Haverhill did not have the night-time economy problems of other larger towns, but there were still challenges and budgets for such agencies as the police were being reduced.
The town pastors do not get involved if violence has broken out, but can be an extra presence to try to prevent something happening, by handing out chocolate or water, and generally de-escalating the situation.
Capt Payne said the pastors were all volunteers and the estimated cost of setting up the scheme, about £13,000 over two years, was to buy jackets, radios, training and supplies of chocolate and water.
So far they have raised £6,000 and were asking for £3,000 to allow them to go ahead, with an option to come back and ask for another £3,000 in six months.
The scheme is enthusiastically supported by the police and town councillors were equally eager to see it go ahead.
Haverhill Safer Neighbourhood Team's Insp Chris Galley said the only area where Haverhill had seen a slight rise in crime was violence connected with drinking on Friday nights.
Capt Payne said after consultation with the police they had decided to begin their patrols at 9pm, which was earlier than in most other towns, and they would go on into the early hours of the morning.
They are training 16 volunteers at present, 13 of whom have agreed to be pastors, and the first patrol was planned for the first Friday in August.
Although organised through the churches, the town pastors have to sign up to a policy of not being evangelistic in any way.
Cllr Diana Andre said: "This group of volunteers is offering to reduce anti-social behaviour. For £3,000 is should say that is an absolute bargain. It's absolutely fantastic."
Councillors agreed to the initial funding and also asked the group to provide regular reports to the council on its activities.
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