INVERCLYDE Street Pastors To Try Day-Time Patrols

STREET Pastors will be out and about again in Inverclyde from later this month, following relaxing of covid pandemic restrictions.

As well as their normal night-time patrols at weekends, day-time ones are being trialled plus an evening one finishing a little after the pubs close.

Co-ordinator Alistair McAlees said: “We are really happy and keen to be back out in Inverclyde and also to be experimenting with day-time patrols.

“Those out in the night-time economy will know of us after 10 years’ patrolling, but day-time will bring us in front of a much wider audience and we know from such patrols by other Street Pastor initiatives that there are a load of people hurting and have suffered mentally from covid-19 in many ways.

“So, with our passion to listen, care and help, we do hope that these day-time patrols will be useful to our local community.”

Street Pastors were set up in Inverclyde in October 2010, with the support of a number of local churches and operated initially in Greenock Town Centre.

They have since expanded into Gourock and Port Glasgow and have been very well received by those they meet, the local police and the local authority.

All Street Pastors are volunteers and the project is co-ordinated locally by Inverclyde Christian Initiative.

“We also hope to have our Rail Pastor team up and running very soon,” added Alistair. “They too are keen to be out on the trains again and we know that some people feel much safer when they are out there. Both our Street and Rail Pastors love to engage and interact with those they meet.”