And The Bishop Came Too...

Along with many other town centres on a Saturday night, Taunton has become a more fun, less tense place to be thanks to the work of every-day people known as the “Street Pastors”. And the police are really endorsing the project reporting that the streets are now a safer place especially for women and vulnerable young people. Following that success people are now in training to form a new Street Pastor team for Wellington town centre.

A ‘live’ Street Pastor Adrian Prior-Sankey spoke to Hemyock Women about the project which began in 1993 as a Christian response to troubled town centres around the country. And as the Street Pastors engage with people on the streets to care, listen and dialogue late into the night, the boys in blue are released to chase real criminals.

A surprise guest at this normally ‘all female’ group was Bishop Cranmer from Uganda who is in the area for a short visit with friends. “My wife Hope was invited to attend and I was so fascinated by the subject” said the Bishop “that I couldn’t help taking a back row seat at the Catherine Wheel where the event was held. We don’t have Street Pastors in Uganda, but it is thoroughly good idea for Christians to be involved in this way” he said.