Dedicated to looking after people who become vulnerable through excessive alcohol consumption or sleeping rough at night, the Street Pastors play a special role in protecting the patrons and participants of the City’s night time economy.
The Provost selected the faith-based group as her Charity of the Year for 2018 and pledged earlier this year that she would take to the streets with the organisation’s Stirling team.
And on Saturday night she stuck true to her promise, braving the cold of an early winter evening to see exactly why the Street Pastors are so important to Stirling.
“This was a real eye-opening experience for me,” said the Provost.
“All year round, these volunteers selflessly take to the streets of the city centre offering all manner of support from first aid to even just handing out flip-flops or teas or coffee. The Street Pastors are a valuable and treasured part of the network of support for night time revellers in the City.”
The evening started with a team meeting at the Allan Park South Church on Dumbarton Road at 9pm where the Provost joined group members Luna, Beatrice and Team Leader Angus Hunter.
After packing patrol bags with items for the night, followed by a short time for prayer, the group headed out to start their shift at 10pm.
Their walk around the City started with a quick stop-off at the Kilted Kangaroo before paying a visit to the Bus Station and Train Station, before heading back into the City centre as the night grew older, ready for the pubs and clubs at closing time.
Through each step of the way the Provost was able to ask questions and pay close attention to the many different ways the Street Pastors provide support.
“We have a wonderful array of restaurants, pubs, clubs and bars here in Stirling but it’s not uncommon for people, like everywhere else across the country, to either over indulge, or become vulnerable because of alcohol,” she said.
“On Saturday it was a privilege to see how the Street Pastors respond to that first hand, and the whole experience made me feel very happy that I picked them as my Charity of the Year.
“Everyone we met was friendly – from revellers to door staff – and they seemed to not only recognise the Street Pastor team, but have real respect for the efforts they put in to look after people.”
Street Pastors is a UK-wide charity which launched in 2003, and the Stirling branch will celebrate its 10th anniversary on March 27, 2019.
The group of 26 Christian volunteers from local Christian churches patrol Stirling city centre on Friday and Saturday nights, covering some of the busiest sections from Upper Craigs down to the bus and train stations.
Stirling Team Leader for Saturday’s excursion, Angus Hunter, said: “It was great to have the Provost along with us on Saturday.
“We were delighted to receive her backing this year and we’ve shared a close relationship since winning the Citizen Jaffrey Award at the 2016 Provost Awards.
“Having the support of the Provost is a real boost and I hope Saturday night helped spread the word of our work even further across Stirling.”
The Street Pastors released a YouTube video highlighting its services as part of a new recruitment drive.
To join you must be over 18 and have a letter from a Minister or Priest to confirm that you have been a regular attender of a local church for over a year.
In 2017, Stirling Street Pastors handed out 345 pairs of flip flops, removed 874 glass bottles from the street, served up 304 hot drinks and water, and supported 143 vulnerable people.
The honour of being named the Provost’s charity of the year comes as Stirling battles with the Italian city of Padova to be crowned European Volunteering Capital 2019.