During December there were:

• 2 Friday night patrols (including Dickensian Evening)
• 4 Saturday night patrols (including Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve)
• 6 Patrols totalling 28 hours of cover involving 21 Street Pastors
• 23 pairs of flip-flops given, 550 lollies and Love Hearts

Here are some of the ways Street Pastors cared, listened and helped in December:

• Cared for a young lady who was distressed
• Sat with a lady while she waited for a taxi
• Kept an eye out for a lady’s purse
• Moved bollards out of the road

There were lots of people out and about in the run-up to Christmas, however we are pleased to report that the busy Christmas party weekend passed without major incident in Wantage and Grove.

Several of our teams helped ladies that were avoiding the attentions of specific individuals. One lady was visibly distressed and sought refuge with our team and another asked to stay with us while she waited for her taxi to arrive.

One of our patrols was asked to keep an eye out for a lady’s purse (unfortunately we didn’t find it) and we returned some bollards to their rightful place having found their way into the middle of the road.

We patrolled after the Dickensian Evening at the beginning of December, on Christmas Eve for a few hours and we saw the New Year in with those celebrating in Wantage town centre. Thanks to everyone who supported our stall at the Dickensian Evening and especially to all those that worked so hard to make the event so successful!

Best wishes for 2017 from all of us at Wantage & Grove Street Pastors.