Town Pastors are Christian volunteers from local churches who are out in town centres on Friday and/or Saturday nights, being a positive influence on the streets and providing help and support to vulnerable people. In addition to our street patrols we are supported while out on the streets by a Prayer Team, some who pray at our bases in town while others pray from home.
Giving dehydrated people some water to drink, helping people to get a taxi or waiting with vulnerable people Town Pastors support those in need.
We offer a listening ear whether you're upset, angry or simply want to chat.
Whether it's finding something to eat or the best way to get home, we can help.
We work alongside Police, doorstaff and CCTV and with the agreement and support of District Councils to help keep our town centres safe.
We currently operate in 11 towns in Suffolk and in Dereham, Norfolk. If you would like to know more about each scheme or to find out about becoming a Town Pastor please contact your local scheme via their website using the links below.
Beccles Town Pastors - our latest Suffolk scheme
Leiston Town Pastors
You can find us across Suffolk and into Norfolk on town centre streets during Friday or Saturday evenings, depending on location, throughout the year. In addition we operate as Festival Pastors at the Latitude music festival at Henham Hall in July and at other ad hoc festivals as and when we are invited.
A flavour of the work we have done through 2019-20 in Suffolk towns and the Latitude Festival using statistics prepared for the Police and Crime Commissioner.
Festival pastors reflect on the cancelled latitude 2020
Festival Pastors Peter and Liz Livey, Tony Hodge and Shirley Austin reflect on past Latitudes and look forward to Latitude 2021 on BBC Radio Suffolk.
Festival Pastors at latitude 2018
With the heat turned fully up and a record crowd expected at Latitude, Festival Pastors were once again on hand with their unique brand of help and support to the festival crowds. In addition to day patrols around the campsites, night patrols in the Woods Arenas and the coolness of the café, this year saw more entertainment and engagement in the café through resident artists and musicians. The weekend was then topped off with our first Sunday Service in front of the café tent. Mixing contemporary worship music with testimonies from the festival and prayer, this was a fitting end to our time at Latitude 2018.
FESTIVAL PASTORS 7TH YEAR AT LATITUDE
Town Pastors did a quick change and turned pink to become Festival Pastors, whilst other volunteers donned the special black and blue festival pastor aprons to serve in the café.
Following an initial invitation from Festival Republic in 2011 Town Pastors have been present at the Latitude festival for the past 5 years under the name of Festival Pastors. Our activities include day patrolling of the camp sites and night patrols in the woods arenas. In addition our cafe provides quality refreshments at excellent prices to festival-goers.
Town Pastors have been present at the Latitude festival as Festival Pastors since 2011, breaking only for the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020. Our activities include day patrolling of the camp sites and night patrols in the woods arenas; we are there for support, care and a listening ear. Click below for further information and videos of Festival Pastors work.
Please feel free to contact us by email or post at our registered Address.
