Pastor teams from the Wantage and Grove Street Pastors patrol the streets in both Wantage and Grove as often as they are able to on Friday and Saturday nights from 11.00 pm until 3.30am. Once a month, a team patrols from 8.00pm until midnight and usually visit Sweatbox to enable them to interact with the young people who visit. The patrols are most active around pay day at the end and start of each month when people can overspend drinking and getting into difficulties in Wantage town centre. Currently five teams each patrol once a month, aiming to care, listen and help those in need.
The Street Pastors can offer practical help to those needing a drink of water or flip flops for those who have lost their shoes. They care for people who may have had too much to drink or perhaps have become separated from their friends. Sometimes people just need someone to talk to and listen to what is happening to them in their lives; this can at times lead to the Street Pastors being able to direct people to organisations who can assist them further if they wish. As a Christian group, the Street Pastors are always happy to pray with anyone if they would like them to. They are not there to preach however but sometimes people who face situations that are bigger than they anticipated, a moment of prayer can help them through the tough times.
During a typical street patrol, the Wantage and Grove Street Pastors will come across a multitude of situations. The teams are delighted to serve the community of Wantage & Grove and show others all about the excellent work that Street Pastors do. A typical example is when during a June night, one of the Street Pastors was accompanied by the MP for Wantage and Didcot as they patrolled the streets of Wantage. Late in the evening they came across a group of young people who were drinking and talking. Their conversation quickly turned to asking why the Street Pastors were there and what did they get out of being on the streets so late at night? By explaining how, as Christians, it is important to serve the community and help people whenever possible. Shortly afterwards the young people dispersed, and the patrol continued, having potentially stopped something else happening.
Another example was a patrol in Grove where the Street Pastors cleared up broken glass in an alleyway and picked up lots of litter in Millbrook Street. Another team took a disorientated middle-aged man, who was staying in Wantage from Derby, back to his local lodgings. One of the teams returned drinking glasses which they had found in the west end of Wantage back to the relevant venues to avoid them getting broken and potentially causing damage.
Being able to prevent arguments which occur in the early hours of a Friday or Saturday night from getting out of hand is another way the Street Pastors can assist. By simply calling for the police and waiting at a safe distance until they arrive to take necessary action, the Pastors are able to ensure that matters do not get totally out of hand.
Street patrols vary between Wantage and Grove depending on how many people are available. All operate from 11pm until 3.30am.
The Wantage and Grove Street Pastors are a registered charity, and they are looking to recruit additional team members as they are planning to start operating an afternoon patrol to help the young people of Wantage and Grove. It is hoped to launch this scheme in Spring 2024 once volunteers are trained up as Street Pastors. If this is something you feel you could do to help the young people of Wantage and Grove, please contact Paul Gander, Chair of Wantage and Grove Street Pastors via email at wantageandgrove@streetpastors.org.uk.
For further information please visit wantageandgrove.streetpastors.org.uk or Facebook wantageandgrovestreetpastors.
