Weymouth Street Pastors began its street operations on Friday 13 June, 2008.  A total of 23 volunteers, split into 5 teams, have currently been trained for street work.  A further 17 volunteers have stepped forward as Prayer Pastors to support the street teams.  The initiative works out of St. Mary’s Church in the town centre.

A Street Pastor team takes to the town centre streets every Friday night between the hours of 10pm and 4am.   Their aim is to be a helpful presence on the streets, to assist anyone who may find themselves in difficulties, or to listen to those who simply need to talk something through.  While the team is on the streets, Prayer Pastors are located at St. Mary’s, offering prayer for the night-time economy of Weymouth, holding themselves ready to respond to any prayer requests that may be relayed back from the street team.  The role of the prayer team is highly important, as they have often guided the street team to places of immediate need.

The volunteers for both street and prayer teams are drawn from local churches across Weymouth and Portland, including:

•    Holy Trinity (CofE)
•    The New Covenant Church
•    St. Francis (CofE)
•    The Weymouth Baptist Church
•    St. Aldhelm’s (CofE)
•    Easton Methodist Church (Portland)
•    Emmanuel Church (CofE)
•    St. Mary’s (CofE)
•    The Weymouth Family Church
•    Weymouth Methodist Church
•    St. Andrew’s (CofE)

Funding for the initiative has been received from many local churches, The Aldhelm Mission Fund (Salisbury Diocese), West Dorset CDRP, plus several donations from local organisations.  Provision of first-aid kits was made by Medisave Ltd, a local supplier of medical equipment. Training and guidance for the street teams has also been provided by the following organisations:

•    South Western Ambulance Service Trust
•    Dorset Police
•    Waves
•    Weymouth & Portland Borough Council
•    Genesis
•    Dorset Drug Intervention Project
•    EDP
•    Dorset County Council

Weymouth Street Pastors work in the night-time economy alongside the Police, Paramedics, Weymouth & Portland Borough Council, and the Pub and Club Door Staff, for the good of the community.  There’s always a friendly face and the offer of help from any of the teams!