Inverclyde Street Pastors on the lookout for recruits

Inverclyde Christian Initiative operates street and rail pastor services in Inverclyde in association with the Ascension Trust (Scotland) and wants to encourage people to come along and hear how rewarding the work can be.

Chris Jewell from the Initiative, a Street Pastor since 2010, said: "We have a small team here in Inverclyde on the streets in Greenock, Port Glasgow and Gourock and on local trains and we are very keen to grow our teams and provide a fuller service including day patrols.

"These services are provided by local Christians from across all the various local denominations working together as volunteers and in partnership with the police and the local authority.

"We are very well received on the streets and on the trains and it has been established that when Street Pastors are out, the crime rate drops dramatically."

To be a Street Pastor, you need to be at least 18 years old, a Christian and churchgoer for at least the past year and undertake training which includes being out with Street Pastor teams on two occasions.

The Initiative is able to take people out with a patrol as observers to let them understand things first hand and without commitment.

More information is available from the Inverclyde Street Pastor co-ordinator Alistair McAlees by emailing inverclyde@streetpastors.org.uk or by telephone to 07740201853, or from Chris Jewell at inverclydeawake@gmail.com and by telephone to 07932 154515.