Past President Scott Elliot introduced
last week's speaker at the Rotary Club meeting. The co-ordinator of
Borders Street Pastors, a uniformed group of volunteers, Duncan Cameron gave a
most interesting insight into the history and workings of the organisation who
are on Borders' streets each Saturday night between 11 pm and 3.30 a.m. in
groups of three to help people who have been enjoying a night-out when problems
can arise and their motto is to listen, care and help. The Street Pastors
were formed in 2003 in Brixton with the help of local churches and in 2016
started up in Galashiels followed a year later in Hawick and, although their
duties are concentrated where people congregate most, they have been in
evidence at Borders Festivals and Hawick Moor. As well as helping
revellers their presence also reduces street crime and disorder as they engage
with people and are well accepted. They each carry a large shoulder bag
containing a myriad of useful aids and he gave examples of these, viz: flip
flops for someone who has become shoeless (1,228 pairs); bottles of water
(500+); lollipops (7,000+) which seem to break up tension instantaneously and
many other things including first aid kits. At the end of each session
they debrief, have a short prayer then disband homewards knowing that they have
contributed to creating a safer street environment. Plans are being muted
to have the scheme rolled out across the rail network in the
future.
Questions were taken and confidently
answered after which President Mairhi Trickett gave the vote of thanks for an
excellent insight into a most worthwhile cause and made a small donation from
the club towards the group's funds.