Published: Thursday, 4th December, 2008 15:50
Street pastors to patrol Dunfermline streets
By Ally McRoberts
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ON THE STREET: Pictured with pastors James Kelly, Helen Kelly, Moss Barclay, Karena Appleby and Brian Smith are temporary superintendent Bob Baker and Stuart Forbes, general manager of the Seven Kings pub.
Pic by: Dunfermline Press
DUNFERMLINE’S new street pastors won’t “preach heaven and hell” but will try to bring a little light to troubled or drunken revellers – and their cigarettes.
They’ll take to the streets this Saturday night to offer practical help, such as lighting a fag, and spread a little seasonal cheer while giving the true message of Christmas.
And, as well as providing a “listening ear” – and flip flops for women tottering on high heels – they’ll be taking potential weapons off the street and can even carry out CPR.
The new scheme is a collaboration between seven churches and the 20-strong team will carry out their first patrol on the “scary” streets of the town from 10pm to 3am.
Street pastor Moss Barclay (64), an elder at Gillespie Memorial Church, said, “We’re not going out to preach heaven and hell or talk about the Gospel.
“We’re going out because we care for vulnerable people, youths and the community as a whole.
“We’ll go out and give a listening ear but we’ll also be copying what they do in Perth where they pick up broken bottles and glass from the street and put them in the bin.
“In the past these items have been used as a weapon or someone could fall on it through alcohol so it could cut down the people going to A&E on a Saturday night.”
He added, “We’ll also give out flip flops to girls who have come out with high heels and maybe find it sore walking or have blisters, especially if they’ve been drinking, to help them to a taxi.
“It’s a novelty but there are various other things we can give out, blankets to keep people warm and we’ll all carry lighters if people want a light for their cigarette.
“These things can allow us to start a conversation with people and they’ll hopefully gain confidence with the street pastors being there.”
Two teams of three will take to the streets every Saturday after the street pastors gained funding, a licence and 12 weeks of training.
The Ascension Trust in London – where the scheme has operated since 2003 – is the parent company and they said crime was reduced by an average of 84 per cent where street pastors work.
Mr Barclay, a lecturer at Carnegie College’s facility in Rosyth, said of the city centre, “We’ve had good training from the police and the Samaritans and we’ve been to the CCTV suite and seen the cameras covering Dunfermline town centre.
It’s very reassuring they’ll be watching, they’ll be told when we’re leaving our base at 10pm and be able to pick us out in our fluorescent uniforms.
“There’s never been any injury to a street pastor since this started in 2003 and I don’t see why that would change.”
He continued, “This will be on-going from now on, we’re committed to doing this every Saturday and we hope to add to the team as we go.
“We would have liked to do more at Christmas but we feel Saturday night is more than enough just now.
“We’ve a good mix of young and old, male and female and we get the feeling we may be able to make a difference by being there.
“We’ll be showing God’s love on the street.”
Fife police’s temporary superintendent, Bob Baker, said, “They get rave reviews in Perth and it’s a real coup for Dunfermline that they’re coming here.
“The pastor scheme works independently of the police but they have the same aims regarding community safety.
“They are trying to get people home and around the town safe and sound so it was obvious there was a tie-up.
“The council’s locality manager, Dave Paterson, got funding for radios and some of the training and we offered advice regarding their own safety and security and where we think they should go, for example where there’s CCTV coverage.
“They can also bring issues to our attention and we can do the same with them.
“I’m delighted they’re coming here.”
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'Too sexy' shop finally opens in Dunfermline