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Church takes support scheme to the streets
A NEW initiative taking the church to the streets in an area of Sheffield blighted by gang violence and gun crime has been launched two years after a teenager was shot dead in a city park.
The Street Pastoring scheme, which was launched at the Town Hall yesterday, will see volunteers from city churches go out onto the streets of Burngreave to engage with young people and support them to make better decisions.
The Seventh Day Adventist Churches in Andover Street, Burngreave, and Carter Knowle Road, Carterknowle, have joined with Church on the Rock in Carlisle Street and Shiloh Church in Gower Street to set up the scheme in Sheffield.
Parishioners from the various congregations will sign up to become Street Pastors, with a mission to reach out to the people they find out in the community. They will encourage them to make positive decisions away from lifestyles relating to guns, knives and crime.
Over the coming weeks the volunteers will receive training from the London-based Ascension Trust - which runs similar schemes around the country - and aim to be on the streets by the New Year.
Pastor Andrew Rashford-Hewitt, from the Seventh Day Adventist Churches, said it was coincidental but appropriate the launch was taking place two years after 16-year-old Jonathan Matondo was shot dead in Nottingham Cliff recreation ground in the suburb.
He said: "While working with the family at the time they were very keen to see something positive come out of his death.
"I believe the family would be very pleased to hear Street Pastoring has been launched. It will not resolve all the problems, but it will be significant link in the chain of services offered to young people."
He said the objectives of the initiative are to "befriend, engage and support" young people and vulnerable adults.
The project has received funding from both Sheffield Council and South Yorkshire Police, as well as support from the Ascension Trust.
Chief Insp Paul McCurry said it was an "excellent idea".
He added: "It has the potential to make a better offer to young people and parents in the community."
Claire Fox is one of the first volunteers to have signed up to become a street pastor.
She said: "I felt it was something I wanted to do. It's very easy to say we live in a terrible society and the world is falling to pieces - it's different to say I am going to get out there and make a difference."
Howard Golding is also looking forward to getting out on the streets to provide a positive role model to the young people he meets.
He said: "Somebody cared and somebody guided me and gave me direction when I was growing up - I want to share that and help them have a good quality of life."
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Weather for Sheffield
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
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Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
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