Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw joined a team of street pastors, one of five organisations keeping Lancashire's streets safe who have received funding to support their work.

He joined Preston and South Ribble Street Pastors on their evening patrol to support the homeless and other vulnerable people, including offering assistance to night-time revellers and preventing violent incidents getting out of control.

Other groups that were awarded a portion of £25,000 funding at the end of 2017 were Blackpool & Fylde Street Angels, Chorley Street Pastors, Lancaster Street Pastors and Ormskirk Street Pastors.

This comes as the Preston-based group were announced as a winner of the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, one of 250 voluntary groups from across the UK to receive the award for work in their communities.

The funding is being used by the groups to help them train and equip new volunteers, upskill current volunteers and for resources such as drinks and food to give out to vulnerable people.

Mr Grunshaw said: "Seeing the hard work that Street Pastors do across Lancashire first hand, I'm proud to be able to support all that these and others similar organisations across the county do to keep our streets safe.

"Supporting vulnerable people, one of the key priorities in my police and crime plan, reducing demand on the emergency services and keeping people safe, groups like the street pastors also provide a rewarding opportunity to help in their community for people who want to volunteer.

"I am really pleased to continue supporting these organisations who make Lancashire a safer place, dealing with incidents before they escalate and require police or paramedics. They also provide excellent value for money, reducing the need for frontline services to intervene and reduce some of the strain that our emergency services face, something that is extremely important at a time of increasing pressures being felt by officers and across the public sector."

Added Dave Brown, Co-ordinator for Preston and South Ribble Street Pastors: “It was great to have the Commissioner join us and for him to meet some of our dedicated volunteers as they helped those in need on our city centre streets.
We are grateful for his support and for the funding we receive.

"It ensures that we can continue to deliver high quality, essential training to equip new and existing Street Pastors, and to have a good stock of supplies for those in need.”

Street Pastors from across the area met at Cottage Lane Mission recently to pray for their work: http://ormskirk.qlocal.co.uk/ormskir...h-55031717.htm