Speaker Meeting - Nottingham Night Pastors

21 March 2019The Nottingham Street Pastors -Ramsey Piggott

Prior to the speaker presentation a £350 cheque was gifted to the Flower Pod, with Tracy & Bex saying a ‘thank you’ and explaining that previous donation had been used for improved communication software, which had vastly improved things for a number of their challenged clients.

Stan also announced that the International Committee had diverted some £2k funds to the Idai Cyclone disaster in East Africa.

Ramsey is a volunteer with the Nottingham Street Pastors, which is a project set up by the Malt Cross Trust in 2010. The aim of the Malt Cross Trust is to improve Nottingham’s nightlife and the project sees over 70 volunteers go out to care for and look after the 30,000-40,000 visitors who use Nottingham city centre’s nightlife every weekend. Part of the Urban Trinity between the Police, Local Government and the church, and having obtained Purple Flag accreditation in making the City a safe, diverse and entertaining environment.

Street Pastor volunteers patrol the city in teams of three or four on Friday and Saturday nights between 10pm and 3am to help when someone’s night out takes a turn for the worst. Their mission is to offer practical, non-judgemental and compassionate help to people at risk following over-indulgence in the city’s bars and clubs.

They really come in to their own when dealing with members of the public who are worse for wear and simply can’t look after themselves. Historically police officers and paramedics have been needed to try and sober these people up, arrange transport for them and contact a loved one to make sure they aren’t alone and are being looked after – but now this is a role played by the Street Pastors who are just a radio call away from police officers.

The Street Pastors offer a calming effect to often drunken and rowdy people and the offer a lollipop or a bottle of water or a pair of flip-flops has an amazing effect on people.

The Club were very impressed with the dedication, and community spirit that shines out from the practical assistance that the Street Pastors offer every weekend, accordingly a cheque was presented to Ramsey.                                                                              AF