Unsung Heroes: Meet the Rugby volunteers who give up their time to patrol the night-time streets to care, listen and help
This latest piece about Street Pastors has been supplied by Ali Findlay. She has just retired from nearly 28 years of teaching in secondary schools. Ali is on a mission to find some of those places, people, events and hobbies that are often overlooked in Rugby.
It is a dismal, autumnal morning at 6am, raining (again) and I put the television on to be greeted with more bad and sad news.
If it weren’t for the fact that I’d had the honour of meeting our Rugby Street Pastors recently, I might start to question the general level of goodness in the world at the moment.
It was so interesting to find out the history of the project.
Founded by the Ascension Trust based in London in 2003 (with only a mere 15 women and 3 men making up the initial team), the initiative has now grown to be local,
national and international.
Bob Reeve started it up here in 2009, for Friday and Saturday nights from 10pm until 4am.
So, I hear you ask, who are these people and what exactly do they do?
These Christian volunteers give up their time to patrol the night-time streets to care, listen and help anyone in need.
They sport smart uniforms- to be clearly identifiable – but are in no way there to be law enforcers or judgmental critics.
In a non-confrontational manner, these guardian angels carry First Aid kits to assist individuals who may have fallen, which include defibrillators for the more seriously afflicted; there are flip-flops available to those who may have made an unwise decision about the height of heels they might have managed to stay upright on during a long night out; bottled water is free for those who have become dehydrated; silver blankets are in the rucksacks for those who underestimated how cold it would become; others request to pray for reasons personal to them; their popular lollipops are ever present in kit bags- to combat struggling sugar levels in those who have partied a little too hard; dust pans and brushes are carried, to ensure that any dangerous breakages of glass can be disposed of in a safe way.
Did you know that a single incident involving someone visiting the hospital to have glass removed from their foot – plus follow-up treatment- can cost the NHS up to £20,000…?!
I certainly had no idea.
Dawn Thurkettle, who has been the Co-Ordinator of Street Pastoring in Rugby since 2017, and Peter Banks, who is one of her committed volunteers, talked to me about their crucial (my choice of adjective, not theirs, as they are in no way into self-promotion) role in supporting many other workers in the town: door staff in pubs and clubs, taxi drivers and, of course, the Police.
A reassuring conversation with someone in distress can prevent arrests and unnecessary calls to the already stretched Emergency Services.
Believe me, they take their work very seriously, but have had some lighter moments in their time out there looking after us all. One night, they assisted a person dressed up as a cucumber (?!); they have had lively conversation with a bride and groom, who left their own wedding reception to seek out a pint in a pub; they rescued some rather- too- cheery teens who managed to commandeer a cherry picker outside ASDA, ascend in it but then fail to know how to descend; and have been cajoled into karaoke with a few weekend regulars in popular venues.
Street Pastors are trusted, respected and vital to our community.
All parents must feel reassured that their grown-up children have teachers, nurses and other highly-skilled folk who care enough to be there to brave the darkness.
Stalwart members range from age 18 to 80+!
Our Street Pastors in Rugby form a growing alliance – part of a family that is now active in over 250 towns and cities across the country. If you would like to join them, you need to be a practising Christian, with a reference from a church leader.
Then, next steps would be: experience on an observation patrol, training in subjects such as First Aid, Mental Health, Drugs and Alcohol Awareness, Safeguarding and Communication Skills.
Absolutely understandable checks/coaching.
Whether you are of no particular denomination or follow a different faith, we must all recognise the benevolent nature of our Street Pastors who, not only look after the vulnerable out on the town after dark- but have begun to guide young people after school finishes and provide a friendly ear to market goers near the Clock Tower on a Friday morning.
We should be thankful.
If anyone would like to join the team or reach out for support, please contact Dawn: [email protected] or call 07738625547.