Volunteers sent into support community after Reading murder.
A specially trained response team of street pastors has been helping out in west Reading after last weekend's murder
Last updated 11th Feb 2021
Within 24 hours of the incident in Dulnan Close on the Dee Park estate in Reading at the weekend a twenty strong team of blue-coated volunteers descended on the scene.
They were street pastors and although they represent dozens of different church groups in Reading their job isn't to convert anyone but merely be there to support.
Co-ordinator Sally Leonard explained more:
"Caring, listening, helping, we're just patrolling in the community chatting to people we even had a bit of a game of football, yeah just getting alongside people and having a bit of a chat with them."
Street Pastors are led by a local coordinator like Sally and also have support from local churches and community groups in partnership with the police, local council and other statutory agencies.
The 'response team' have special training to work at the scene of incidents like the one at the weekend. In the last year Sally says they've attended the Forbury gardens terrorist attack, and more recently the tragic death of Olly Stephens in Emmer Green. Sally continues:
"Since last year Street Pastors has evolved into all sorts of things where we've been able to respond to the needs of the community and ultimately that's what street pastors are about - about being in the community and being there for people."
Traditionally and in 'normal times' street pastors had focussed on helping people who needed support during Reading's night time economy dealing mainly young people adversely affected by drink or drugs on a Friday or Saturday night. Sally says the pandemic has changed all that, and they now work daytime shifts:
"On Sunday people just wanted to chat, and we've really come to know our town centre and other areas of Reading in a very intimate way which has been lovely actually."
To find out more about street pastors you can visit their website: https://streetpastors.org/locations/reading/