Harpurhey and Moston in north Manchester was described a few years ago as the 4th most deprived area in England. This was reflected in having one of the highest crime rates in Greater Manchester and other related problems associated with an urban priority area. In 2008 Street Pastors put together a team of 16 volunteers from local churches but they had a hard time at first becoming accepted. One of the pubs in the area gave the team the ‟cold shoulder‟ for the first eight months, now they keep a kettle behind the bar for us.
Inspector Gareth Parkin said, “Harpurhey has seen a year on year reduction in recorded crime and antisocial behaviour, the Street Pastors have been a major partner in assisting us in achieving these results. As well as this, the Street Pastors have been able to interact with individuals and groups who would not interact with the Police. This has enabled us to build relationships with groups where we would not ordinarily have been able to do so”.
Street Pastors now enjoy being a welcomed part of the community.
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