Autumn Newsletter 2025

Here at Stratford-upon-Avon Street Pastors we are getting out the warm jackets and hats as the summer now seems to have really given way to autumn. We’ve had a wonderful summer, the sunshine and warm weather meant that more people were spending time outside, and that means we meet more people and have more conversations which we love!

It has been those conversations over the summer that I want to highlight in this newsletter. We often focus on what we do for others in the night-time economy but not very often do we get to think about let alone share the lovely conversations that we have with the public as they share their thoughts with us and start conversations asking about what we do. As there were so many this summer, here are a handful of my favourites.

• We spoke with 4 teenage lads coming out of All-Bar-One who asked us what we do and why we do what we do. One of them said “Keep up the good work!”
• Walking up Ely Street we met a lovely couple who were very appreciative of the work we did. The lady worked in a homeless shelter and understood the issues facing the homeless in our towns.
• On the Bancroft Gardens we met a lovely family out celebrating a birthday. One of the ladies had worked at Warwick University and was really concerned at what people can do to really help the homeless and those on the streets. It was lovely to talk to somebody like that who really cared and appreciated what we do.
• We met the bar manager from Hotel Du Vin, he talked about lollipops as he has met Street Pastors previously. It had been explained to him that a lollipop can sometimes diffuse a situation, so he now keeps a jar of lollies behind the bar for when appropriate.
• Whilst we were walking some ladies asked what Street Pastors were and after we explained they said that we were doing a great job.
• We met a couple from Hereford who thanked us for doing what we do, their daughter had been helped by their local Street Pastors. He was very grateful for the work we do in Stratford.
• We carried on touring the town and met a lovely couple from Warwick outside the Brazilian eatery in the Bell Court. They were very complimentary about the work we do as Street Pastors.
• We popped into the chip shop, and they gave us some chips which we gladly ate.
• Leaving Bell Court we met a young couple who complimented us on our volunteering.
• We then met five young men outside The Prospero Lounge. They were lovely, and chatted with us for a while asking lots of questions about what we did and in particular why we did Street Pastoring. They were very surprised to find out that we were volunteers.
• Near the Shakespeare statue we met 2 ladies who were taking a selfie. We offered to take a photo for them and chatted with them for a while. They were visiting from Surrey and said they appreciated the work that we were doing.
• We stopped and chatted with 2 ladies in their late 60’s outside Avon Lounge. Both were local, one said that she had just started to go out in the evening for a drink and the other said that she cannot get out very often. They were both glad to see us out tonight.
• We were walking through Bell Court, and a man came up to us just to thank us for being out tonight. He said, “What you guys are doing is amazing!”.
• Walking along Sheep Street we met an elderly Christian couple from Loughborough who were very positive about our work and shared some thoughts about Street Pastoring in a University town.
• A lady came up behind us and wanted to know about our role and wished us well.
• We made our way to The Embankment and met 4 people from Colchester sitting outside and having a drink, celebrating a 50th birthday. We chatted with them for a while, and they said: “You are amazing! Thank you for doing this!”.
• We met a couple from Aylesbury, who were visiting for the weekend. The man told us that he is training to be an ordinand and admired the fact that we voluntarily go out on a Friday night to help other people.
• We met a group of students outside the Golden Bee. One of them asked us what the correct words are for the Lord’s Prayer. They said that they remembered learning this at primary school but couldn’t remember all the words. We stood and said it with them, and they chatted about what was involved in being a Street Pastor.

¹ Note: Name changed to protect privacy.

Prayer Points:

• For the teams out on Friday evenings Caring, Listening and Helping
• For more Street Pastors to join the team and ensure we can put a team out every Friday
• For all of those working in the night-time economy especially those who are responsible for venues
• For the police and new town wardens as they work to keep people safe in our town

Our Socials

We are continuing our series of posts on what makes our Street Pastors turn up and patrol our streets in rain, wind and shine. Please follow us and share our posts.

Street Pastors

Street Pastors come from right across the Christian community. Street Pastors are trained volunteers from local churches who care about their community and who patrol in teams of men and women on a Friday night, to care for, listen to and help people who are out on the streets

A Street Pastor is someone who is a Christian and is part of a local church; concerned for society and their local community; willing to engage with people, whatever their perspective on life and wherever they hang out; happy to work in a team and in collaboration with other agencies and projects, both statutory and voluntary; willing to undertake some training.

What Street Pastors are NOT is preachers or converters. Street Pastors are simply there to Care, Listen and Help all of those out in the night time economy without judgment or condemnation.  Why not come out on patrol as an observer and see what we do?

If you are interested in knowing more, contact our co-ordinator, Linda, by e-mail at stratforduponavon@streetpastors.org.uk