At weekends, the streets of the city centre in Preston are alive with activity as people go out to have a good time. It is a lively and vibrant city centre with many different venues acting as magnets for people.
Sadly, some people end up in a distressed condition and find themselves very vulnerable. At the same time, many homeless people in Preston are in the same area, and they too can find themselves at risk. Step in Preston Street Pastors who, working with local churches, the police, Preston City Council and other agencies, patrol the streets looking out for anyone who appears to need assistance.
They have hot drinks and snacks available. They are also well known for their flip flops. Sometimes a person’s footwear can become uncomfortable and harm feet. The Street Pastors have a supply of flip flops which they give free of charge. The Street Pastors are patrolling from 10pm until 3am.
Mad Friday can be especially challenging and this year the team put in a double shift starting at 6pm. After all, the office parties start early in the Friday before Christmas. Tim Horton, one of the past masters of Preston Guild Lodge No 4408, met up with the team at the start of their evenings work. The brethren of Preston Guild Lodge had donated £1,000 to help the Street Pastors with their work and Tim was delighted to present the cheque.
Also paying a visit to observe the excellent and valuable work the Street Pastors do was the Mayor of Preston, Councillor Phil Crowe. He certainly picked a night to truly appreciate the team.