Isle of Wight Street Pastors » Blog

Newsletter online

Martin — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 09:32:29 +0000

Edition two of the Isle of Wight Street Pastors newsletter is now available to download, packed with news from the first half of 2010 including

Community Action Awards 2010
New Volunteers Commissioned
Quotes from the new team
Growth in prayer team
High Sheriff’s award

Community Action Awards

Martin — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 09:48:00 +0000

We are pleased to announce that Isle of Wight Street Pastors were the overall winners of this years Isle of Wight Community Action Awards. We are grateful to the judges for their recognition of the valuable work of our volunteer Street Pastors and its impact on our community. The £1,750 prize will help us continue and extend our work on the Island’s streets. See this weeks County Press for more information.

Street Pastor Song

Martin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 10:03:34 +0000

Inspired by an encounter on the streets, Isle of Wight Street Pastors Co-ordinator David Ouston wrote a song, which has been performed in various places and is now available to download. There is no charge for the download, but if you are touched by the song please do consider making a donation to Isle of Wight Street Pastors, or becoming a regular giver through our 1 in 100 scheme.

Click to listen or right click to download - Street Pastors Song by David Ouston

Festival Friday

David — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 08:22:44 +0000

So on Friday night we ventured out into the unknown, the start of our first weekend on the streets around the Isle of Wight Festival. It was like a ghost town in Newport so we headed up Fairlee Road towards the festival site. Immediately a young lad about 14 came staggering towards us, he was falling into the road as he walked and cars were nervously, very slowly overtaking him. We crossed over the road and offered him some water, which he downed in one and taking one arm each walked slowly with him to a side road where he was meeting his mum.

Another guy that evening was escorted out of the entrance by 2 massive security guards. He was so drunk he couldn’t walk, so collapsed in a heap on the grass. We immediately took over giving him water and sitting with him. He then said he wanted to meet his friends in town, so off he went. Once again all over the place, once again one person either side of him. We walked him all the way into town, he kept telling us he wasn’t a bad person. When he got into town , he still really was a danger to himself so we called an ambulance, which he agreed to. When the ambulance came he didn’t want to get in, so ran off!!

People were coming out and just collapsing on the grass, some were sick and we helped clean then up and give water, others we gave foil blankets as they lay there on the grass.

Another lady had a diabetic seizure , luckily we were around so could call an ambulance.

One young lady came up to us and spent 45 minutes talking, crying and chain smoking , pleading with us to let her know that God had forgiven her for what she had done earlier in her life. We talked, cried and prayed with her, very humbling.

Two other ladies were so drunk they could barely walk, so we walked one home , the other we walked to the bus station.

One guy had been ejected from the campsite, and was causing a lot of grief between himself, his girlfriend and the security staff. We were on hand to give smiles and chocolates.

So many people couldn’t believe we were giving away water and chocolates and we must have been told that we “are the nicest people ever” about 100 times. And that was just Friday!!!!!!!

Street Pastors hit the Isle of Wight Festival

Martin — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 11:05:07 +0000

This year Street Pastors will be on the streets of Newport during the Isle of Wight Festival for the first time. Three teams will be out on Friday and Saturday nights and one team on Sunday night, from around 8pm to 1am. We’re not quite sure what to expect, but are really looking forward to meeting and talking to 50,000 people. Well, maybe we won’t manage to talk to all of them but….

We won’t actually be on the festival site, but you’ll probably see us around town and along Fairlee Road, say hello if you see us!

We’ll report back after the event, but you can also follow progress via our Twitter updates - follow us @iowstreetpastor

Happy festivaling!

Festival Fun

Excess alcohol can leave festival goers vulnerable (image courtesy of Ian Boyd)

Street Pastors take to the streets of Newport

Martin — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 08:46:26 +0000

Last Friday saw the commissioning of the second wave of Street Pastors on the Isle of Wight in Newport Minster, followed by the first night on the streets of Newport. In front of a large congregation in the Minster new Street Pastors were prayed for and commissioned with Street Pastors each handed their cap, ready to hit the streets. Existing Street Pastors who completed the training programme last year and have been out on the streets of Ryde for a year now received a graduation certificate.

After the service a mixture of new and existing Street Pastors took to the streets, introducing themselves and the scheme to people around the town centre. As well as receiving an enthusiastic welcome from people the Street Pastors managed to have a positive impact straight away. While the new team finish the final few training sessions they will be out each Friday for the early part of the evening getting to know people, then will be on the streets until late every Friday from July 2nd. Street Pastors will also be out on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the Isle of Wight Festival.

First Newsletter out now

Martin — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 19:05:47 +0000

Our first Isle of Wight Street Pastors newsletter is now available.

You can download a version for on screen reading from here, or obtain a printed copy or high resolution version to print at home by contacting David, SP co-ordinator.

The newsletter is the first in a series of biannual publications which will help keep you up to date with what’s going on with Street Pastors on the Island. If you want to stay up to date throughout the year you can subscribe to our website feed using a feed reader or by email, or follow us on Twitter.

Less Crime in Ryde

Martin — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 14:49:50 +0000

Since May 22nd 2009 until 31st December 2009 we have done 38 nights out on the streets of Ryde, Cowes and Newport. This equates to 970 man/ woman hours . We have had 134 meaningful conversations and been involved in 33 tense or challenging situations. We have given away hundreds of pairs of flip flops and bottles of water. We have got through almost 100 boxes of chocolates, and given out over 100 foil blankets. We have also picked up around 100 glass bottles. Between June 1st and December 31st the number of violent incidents in Ryde, on a Friday night decreased by 43%. Chief Superintendent Dave Thomas says that he regards this reduction in offenses as truly outstanding and would like to thank the team of Street Pastors for their hard work and contribution to these results.

(from the Jan 2010 newsletter)

Downloadable Poster & Flyer

Martin — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 10:28:13 +0000

We have had requests for a poster and leaflet for churches and other organisations that want to show their support of Street Pastors. So here they are!

You can now download an A5 leaflet or a poster (suitable for A4 or A3 printing) to display or hand out.

They are all in PDF format and can be obtained from our downloads page.

If you need paper copies please get in touch and we’ll arrange to get some to you.

Death Defying David’s Deutsch Daring Do

Martin — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:35:26 +0000

OK, I’m really only posting this because I like alliteration. That aside I thought you should know the lengths that our SP co-ordinator will go to to prove he has no fear. David and I were part of a trip to Germany with 19 teenagers (scary enough already if you ask me) travelling to Dresden for a range of outdoor activities and to film a documentary.

Among the activities organised was rock climbing. I took the sensible approach to this activity. I didn’t book a place. David however, was under strict instructions not to wuss out on anything. First he had a bash at climbing with ropes (you basically haul yourself up a rope using a special harness – very hard work!) after which he was convinced he had scared himself enough.

Then a few minutes later he was spotted donning a climbing harness and shoes to attempt the rock climb.

I watched the whole thing, and until that point I never realised you could climb with zero skill, just pure adrenaline! The ascent was rapid, and appeared to involve precious little use of hand or foot holds. The technique appeared akin to spider man’s, I think sheer velocity ensured adherence to the cliff. Our interpid co-ordinator then had to sit on top off the rather small flat top of the rock, eventually joined by 13 more people – a record number apparently. Having had time to contemplate life, death and how on earth he was going to get down, David abseiled down the cliff face yelling at the top of his voice “Face the Fear” repeatedly. When he got to the bottom he told me that he would have done anything to be back on the streets of Ryde facing angry drunks rather than hauling himself up and down a cliff.

I think the chant of “Face the Fear” is quite apt for a Street Pastor. Every Friday night they go out not knowing what they are going to face. They could come up against dangerous situations, or possibly have to face people’s loneliness and despair. So, if you’re sat comfortably at home on a Friday night, spare a thought or prayer for the team on the streets.