PCC joins Saturday night patrol of Newbury town centre

Last Saturday, 19 August, Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Barber, joined Newbury Street Pastors on patrol in the town centre.

Newbury Street Pastors are trained volunteers from local churches who provide help and support to people on a night out in Newbury town centre. The Street Pastors operate every Saturday night from 10.30pm till around 3am. They work closely with Thames Valley Police and local businesses to help create a positive atmosphere for people to enjoy themselves safely of an evening. 

The Street Pastors were recently awarded £1000 from the PCC’s Community Fund to help towards ongoing running costs.

Following his patrol, Matthew said: “It was a pleasure to join the Newbury Street Pastors on one of their patrols. It was a race day in Newbury so the town was particularly busy. It was great to see the work of the pastors and their collaboration with Thames Valley Police first-hand. The Street Pastors have been assisting people on nights out in Newbury for over 10 years and I am pleased to have supported them with a £1000 grant.”

Phil Laybourne, Newbury Street Pastors volunteer, said: “Our mission is to make the streets of Newbury a safer place for vulnerable people to be at night. It was great to showcase to Matthew the broad range of work we do from checking people are getting on the right train at the station to clearing broken bottles, helping those who are incapacitated through drink to find their way home or providing people with flip-flops, bottles of water and lollies.

“We have been working collaboratively with TVP for over a decade now and it’s been terrific to see that partnership flourish grounded in mutual respect and an appreciation of the value our service brings”.