Cheltenham Street Pastors celebrate milestone anniversary with a callout for new volunteers

Helping to save lives, diffusing confrontations, caring and listening to people whilst also offering help - this is the best of what the church in action does well on our streets.

Putting the good into the community and doing all of the above is what Cheltenham Street Pastors do as 2024 marks 15 years of the ministry doing excellent work to help the community in the town. Cheltenham's nighttime economy is when you will see the Street Pastors doing important work, a committed group of people who are also in real need of new volunteers.

International and Gloucestershire community leaders attended a special service at St Michael's Church in Whaddon to celebrate the anniversary including the international head of Street Pastors worldwide, The Reverend Les Isaac O.B.E. as well as the Mayor of Cheltenham, Cllr Paul Baker.

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A service of thanksgiving and commissioning of more prayer and patrol pastors to serve the needs of vulnerable people, Chair of Cheltenham Street Pastors, Nigel Bennett, says Cheltenham continuously delivers help to people every weekend.

Nigel said: "Cheltenham Street Pastors needs more recruits to be fully operational patrolling and providing team members on our Safe Space Stable horse box. It's a once-a-month commitment and full training is provided with the uniform. People are choosing to recharge their phones or have a cuppa and chat with our team. The Cheltenham Street Pastors anniversary celebration highlights what has been achieved during the last fifteen years and is a launch pad for the next decade of success.”

There are currently 14,000 pastors serving in 285 centres across the UK. Pastors are aged between 20 and 80 and in Cheltenham they come from over 20 different church families. As the Reverend Les Isaac says, “There are many Church families but one Church of Jesus Christ.”

Former Chief Constable of Gloucestershire and one of the Patrons of Cheltenham Street Pastors, Dr Timothy Brain was in attendance. He said: “I am delighted to support the work of Cheltenham Street Pastors. They provide real care and support to people out and about on Friday and Saturday nights. People who are out to have a good time sometimes get carried away and don't think about the harm they can cause themselves and others. Street Pastors can step in and help them before things get out of hand. They are a real support to the people of Cheltenham and the Police, and a really wonderful example of Christian charity in action.”