THE OFFICE of the Police and Crime Commissioner has announced more than £40,000 of funding for street support teams, including those in Reading.
Matthew Barber, Police and Crime Commissioner for the Thames Valley, has announced £46,000 of funding for 13 Street Pastors organisations across the region.
It forms part of the PCC’s Community Fund, and will see support given to Street pastors in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Milton Keynes.
Street Pastors are volunteers who patrol the town centre on Friday and Saturday nights as points of contact for support regarding emotional and physical well-being.
It follows the establishment of Reading Safe Space, established through Reading Borough Council’s Safer Streets funding initiative in partnership with the University of Reading, the students’ union, and Reading College, and the office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.
Matthew Barber was among those who attended the opening of the new provision last month.
He said at the event: “The most important thing about what First Stop and Street Pastors do is protecting vulnerable people particularly in the night-time economy.
“This goes beyond pure policing and the huge amount of work the police do, it can be helping someone get home and making sure they’re safe.
Speaking of the new round of funding, Mr Barber said: “The support that Street Pastors across Thames Valley provide to the police is invaluable. Over the last year, I have been out on patrol with a number of Street Pastors and have seen first-hand how they successfully work in collaboration with Thames Valley Police and local businesses to help create a positive atmosphere for those having a night out, offering support to individuals by providing practical assistance to keep people safe.
“I am therefore delighted to be able to provide £46,000 of core funding to help support the vital role each of these organisations play in keep our communities safe across Thames Valley.”
Jeanette Lock, Chair of Maidenhead Street Angels, said: “This generous grant will help in our recruitment drive as we aim to attract more Angels to our team of volunteers. With many changes taking place in Maidenhead town, we want to try and increase our Street Angel presence and continue to serve our local community”.
The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Community Fund provides biannual funding to voluntary and community groups that help to achieve the objectives of its Police and Criminal Justice Plan.
The money for the scheme comes from the sale of stolen property that cannot be returned to its rightful owners.
Reading Street Pastors has been providing care to the public and support to other services since it was established in 2003, including in Reading town centre during busy periods and at Reading Festival.
More information about Reading Street Pastors is available via: streetpastors.org/locations/reading/
