End Of An Era And New Exciting Opportunity

On 13th December 2008, Peterborough Street Pastors went out on patrol in the night-time economy for the first time.  Over the last 13 years we have seen volunteers come and go and have helped countless people out in the city centre on a Saturday night.  The Street Pastors have patrolled on Saturday nights from 10 pm to 4 am. 

At the beginning of 2019 Peterborough city centre had changed and Street Pastors were struggling to patrol every weekend as we were down to just 6 volunteers.  Our dedicated Management Committee was also very small in number.  We began to seek God about His will for the future.  Then in March 2019 the COVID-19 lockdown began!  We immediately ceased patrols and continued to seek God. 

Christine Graham, Founder and Co-ordinator of Street Pastors says, ‘We could only have imagined when we stepped out in faith in December 2008, how God would use us over the next decade.  To be able to take God’s love to the streets and meet people where they are has been a real privilege.  Jesus said that we should be salt and light to our world and this is what we have been to those in our city centre’.

Earlier this year we began a conversation with Light Project Peterborough who were supporting volunteers who worked in the city centre as City Centre Chaplains.  LPP was seeking God about how he wished them to develop their work and God’s plan for the future began to come into focus.

Peterborough Street Pastors will now cease to exist as a charity from the end of December and the existing volunteers will transfer to Light Project Peterborough where they will continue to undertake the same ministry – with a new name – Street Chaplains and under the umbrella of the ministries of Light Project Peterborough.  The Chair of Street Pastors said, ‘We are so pleased to see the work of God in the city centre continuing.  It has been a privilege to have chaired the Management Committee for the last eight years and we look forward to what God will do in the future. 

Light Project Peterborough oversees several projects in the city with a vision of ‘Enabling and equipping the church and community to heal the broken hearted, set free the oppressed and bring good news to the poor.’  Steven Pettican, CEO of LPP says, ‘The Street Pastors work has played a really important part in keeping people on our streets safe and well on their nights out, bringing love and support at often times of real need.  This is a hard act to follow but we are committed to building on the amazing work the team has put in over the years.’

For more information on how to volunteer with LPP please call 01733 560031 or email info@lightprojectpeterborough.org.uk