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Wearing recognisable blue jackets and baseball caps, they provide barefoot young women with flip-flops to prevent injury on broken glass or discarded needles, talk to troubled residents, assist homeless people, give directions, provide assistance to night-club stewards and work closely with Strathclyde Police – all with the objective of keeping those safe who enjoy our vibrant night-life.

Peter Dunn and Jo Caisley

“They” are the Glasgow Street Pastors: 50 trained, inter-denominational members from 22 churches who volunteer once a month in the city centre to “make a positive difference in the lives of people”.

The Home Office-supported initiative, the latest in a national network of 111 locations which began in London in 2003, is co-ordinated by Reverend Peter Dunn, who has been Minister of Queen’s Park Baptist Church for five years.

“Our remit,” he explained, “is to make the Church relevant and an important part of the community.

“Following visits to Manchester and Aberdeen with Council and police representatives, we developed our own project – operating from 10.00pm on Saturday nights until 4.00am on Sunday mornings.”

Peter continued: “Our night-time economy, which attracts around 100,000 visitors every weekend, takes place when churches’ doors are shut and most people are in bed.

“During the nine months it took to establish the scheme, we embraced as many religious and community leaders as possible. As well as our ‘Urban Trinity’ of church, Council, and police, we work closely with taxi wardens.”

Before beginning work in January 2009, the Pastors – who carry radios linking them to the Blochairn CCTV Control Centre – undertook 12 days’ training in listening skills, first-aid, and advice from mental health professionals to help those contemplating suicide or struggling with addiction.

In addition to issuing around 100 pairs of flip-flops each weekend – a practice that began in Southend and succeeded in slashing the number of young girls attending its Accident and Emergency Department – foil “space blankets” are provided to  keep them warm.

“The girls are out to enjoy themselves,” said Peter, “but don’t always dress for the weather Glasgow throws at them.”

Three teams of four ‘patrol’ Sauchiehall Street, with one leaving at 2.00am to help Gordon Street taxi wardens get revellers into cabs safely.

“There’s often a lot of light-hearted banter,” Peter commented, “although there are others with more serious issues – as well as some predatory characters young vulnerable women should beware of.

“As Christians who serve anyone – regardless of colour, creed or religion – people feel safe with us. If they want us to pray with them, or provide spiritual support, we’re happy to do so. They know they can walk away and never see us again.

With Pastors now an accepted feature of our night-time culture, Peter has contacted 200 congregations in a bid to recruit a second team of between 50 and 100.

“This,” he concluded, “would enable us provide a service on Fridays as well as  Saturdays, and perhaps expand our operation to more outlying areas – including Paisley and Inverclyde.”

Phone: 0141 423 3962
E-mail: glasgow@streetpastors.co.uk
Visit www.streetpastors.org.uk

From Afghanistan to Sauchiehall Street

Jo Caisley’s Christian care and compassion – which have come to the fore in such disparate locations as Afghanistan, Africa, Scotland and the United States – make her an ideal Glasgow Street Pastor.

Helmand veteran Jo Caisley with a reveller

The 37-year-old Southern General Hospital anaesthetic nurse and Territorial Army volunteer, who lives a two-minute walk from Queen’s Park Baptist Church (where she is a member), served for seven months in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province caring for our wounded troops and local residents; witnessed the plight of Edinburgh’s homeless working for the Bethany Trust; utilised her medical skills for the benefit of Ugandan hospital patients, and spent two summers as a counsellor at American children’s camps.

She said: “As a nurse, you get used to meeting the public in various states, although it took a few weeks to get used to the busyness of Sauchiehall Street in the early hours of a Sunday morning.

“We want to show God’s love in a practical way to those out and about on the streets. There was a young girl who fell and hit her head coming of a night-club, was slightly the worse for wear, and had lost all her friends. We helped her into a taxi and made sure she got home. If you can keep one person safe, it makes the work worthwhile.”

Jo continued: “Sometimes people tell you things you know will need an input from social services. Others are more open to tell you anything – and everything. Occasionally, the best thing to do is refer them to professional help.

“There are two men and two women in our team. If a situation escalates and you need some support – or help – they are always within shouting distance. Talking to a number of people is more appropriate if you are in a group.

“At the beginning, revellers wondered: ‘who are these people in the blue coats and what do they do?’ Now, they look for us to talk to. Another drawing point is handing-out flip-flops.”

Jo’s colleagues – all of whom are church members – include another nurse, as well as students, teachers, retired people, church and office workers.

Jo, who somehow also finds the time to study for a Masters Degree in Theology, summarised why someone should consider becoming a Glasgow Street Pastor.

“If they want to see Glasgow a better place, an important part of that process is what we do on our streets every Saturday night and Sunday morning.”