THE POLICE and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley, Matthew Barber, gets a first-hand glimpse of how funding is helping community projects.
Mr Barber joined First Stop and Reading Street Pastors, which both saw £5,000 of investment from the PCC Community Fund.
First Stop provides first aid and pastoral care, set-up by Reading Borough Council with Transform Reading, and operates in the town centre during the late evening on Fridays and Saturdays.
Reading Street Pastors are trained volunteers from churches around Reading who also lend their support to members of the public while on patrol in town from 10.30pm-3am on Fridays and Saturdays.
On Friday, January 27, Mr Barber paid a visit to First Stop before joining Reading Street Pastors for a patrol in Reading’s town centre.
The visit is part of an ongoing programme of engagement work by the PCC’s office which will see a number of regular visits with partners and funded organisations through the year.
Mr Barber said: “It was a pleasure to join the Street Pastors on a regular Friday night patrol of Reading Town Centre, to see first-hand how £5,000 of funding will provide essential support to those in the town centre on Friday or Saturday nights.
“It was also great to visit First Stop and find out how £5,000 of funding will ensure continued support to the vulnerable, injured, intoxicated and, importantly, those in need of a listening ear.”
He continued: “I wish First Stop and Reading Street Pastors all the best with their future work, and I look forward to continuing to visit more organisations in 2023 whose work supports my Police and Criminal Justice Plan for Thames Valley.”
Sara Luker, Co-ordinator for First Stop, said: “It was really good to meet Matthew Barber, and for him to see how First Stop operates first hand working with other partners in the night time economy.”
Sally Leonard, Co-ordinator for Reading Street Pastors, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Matthew Barber to join the street pastor team.
“It was a busy night and Matthew was able to see how the street pastors work with the partners in the night”
