Carlisle
Street
Pastors

Carlisle Street Pastors is part of the national Street Pastor network - we have been engaging with people on the streets of Carlisle since Saturday 5th June 2010.

We currently have 23 active street pastors and 18 prayer pastors, with our age ranging from 18 – 78.

“I absolutely embraced the chance to work with the Pastors and welcomed them onto Botchergate for the first time and have witnessed their patrols many times during the first eight months.  They have all gone through a standardised and professional training programme and with their recognisable uniform have become a reassuring presence in the city on a Saturday night. The Pastors’ remit was always to act as caring eyes and ears, performing acts of kindness, looking after people’s welfare, especially during the early hours when alcohol can leave people especially vulnerable. However their role has extended far beyond that. Police patrols can now contact the pastors to assist the vulnerable and the Pastors themselves are alert to safety issues and have removed  460 bottles and 121 glasses, sometimes as many as 64 in one evening, from potentially dangerous locations within the City centre. This has undoubtedly prevented these being used as weapons or causing accidental injury. The presence of the Street Pastors is always very well received by people on Saturday night, and they have brought with them a visibly calming influence.”

Inspector Di Bradbury (City Centre Neighbourhood Policing Team, June 2010)