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This month, we’re delighted to announce that our February Charity of the Month is the fantastic Eastbourne Street Pastors.
Who Are Eastbourne Street Pastors and What Do They Do?
Eastbourne Street Pastors are a dedicated team of over 50 volunteers from 18 local churches who head out onto the streets of Eastbourne every Friday and Saturday night, from 10pm until 3am. Their mission is simple but powerful: to be there for anyone who needs help, support, or a listening ear.
Street Pastors began as a project of the Ascension Trust, first launched in London in 2003. What started as a small but committed group of 18 volunteers stepping out onto the streets of Brixton has since grown into a nationwide movement.
Today, more than 11,000 trained Street Pastors are active across 270 towns and cities throughout the UK, offering care, reassurance, and practical support where it’s needed most. The impact of the initiative continues to expand, with Street Pastors teams now operating in a growing number of communities around the world. The first Eastbourne Street Pastors were commissioned in February 2010 and since then Street Pastors have been on the streets of Eastbourne every weekend since.
How Street Pastors Make a Difference in Eastbourne
Recently, we had the pleasure of spending an afternoon with a few of the lovely Street Pastors’ volunteers, learning more about the vital and inspiring work they do to support and care for our community.
Eastbourne Street Pastors offer practical, non-judgemental support to people out in Eastbourne at night, from handing out flip flops to those who can’t walk any further in heels, to providing water, basic first aid, and care for anyone who has become vulnerable.
They spend much of their time in busy nightlife areas, chatting with people, helping friends find each other, tidying up the streets, and making sure everyone gets home safely. For those who are alone or unsure how to get home, the team can contact loved ones or arrange a taxi.
Caring for Those Experiencing Homelessness
Eastbourne Street Pastors also spend time talking with people who are sleeping rough, offering a listening ear and, where appropriate, pointing them towards local support services. Thanks to donations from the community, they are able to give out sleeping bags, blankets, groundsheets and winter coats to help keep people warm.
If you’d like to help, donations of these items either new or good quality, are always welcome and make a real difference to those experiencing homelessness. You can find out more information through the link here.
Each patrol usually includes four or five Street Pastors, supported by Prayer Pastors working from their base.
Vivian, Eastbourne Street Pastor volunteer, said: “We had a situation where a young lady was flat out on a bench and she had been spiked so she was completely out of it. We stayed with her for a long long time and we contacted the police and ambulance and neither of them arrived.
Eventually we had to take her to the hospital and she was beside herself that she had been spiked and had been so very vulnerable. We just thank god that we were there and she was safe.”
The Safe Space Van: A Lifeline on Wheels
If you haven’t spotted it already, Eastbourne Street Pastors have an incredible van that is used as a safe space. Here they have two separate rooms for privacy. One room includes a bed if anyone needs to lie down and even a defibrillator for emergency situations. The Safe Space vehicle gives them a place where those looking for help can come and find Street Pastors ready and able to assist.
Bob, Eastbourne Street Pastor volunteer, said: “The main purpose of us being out there is to make sure people have a good time and get home safe. We give out bottles of water for re-hydration, lolly-pops for a sugar rush to help them get a bit more lucid. It is important for us to help them to communicate what their needs are.”
Helping Keep Eastbourne’s Streets Safe at Night
While out on patrol, Street Pastors carry a dustpan and brush to safely clear away broken glass, helping to prevent injuries and reduce the risk of harm. They also remove glass bottles from the streets, which could otherwise be used as weapons. In addition, they hand out ponchos and sick bags, helping people stay safe and making it easier for them to get into a taxi and travel home without issue.
Eastbourne Street Pastors truly are a pillar of our community and we are so thankful for the incredible work they do to keep our nightlife safe. We can’t thank Eastbourne Street Pastors enough for being a part of our February Charity of the Month campaign and a special thank you to Vivian, Bob and Graeme for taking the time to share their work with our team!
We can’t wait to share more from our time with Eastbourne Street Pastors! Follow our socials to be the first to see: Facebook Instagram YouTube.
For more information on how Eastbourne Street Pastors support our community, please visit the link here.
To donate to this wonderful organisation, please visit the link here.
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