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Status
Received: on time
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Income
£11.3K
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Spending
£13.7K
- Charity no. 105299
- Company no. 631556
- Date registered. 29/06/2016
Public benefits
Purpose 1 - The benefits which flow from this purpose include the promotion of education. The beneficial outcomes to beneficiaries who train as Street Pastors will include the learning of new skills (e.g. personal and public health and safety and first aid skills) and the development, through education, of approaches necessary to act as Street
Pastors (e.g. communication & negotiation skills and conflict management). These benefits will be delivered through activities, programmes and training courses organised by Belfast Street Pastors at the Crescent Church Belfast, Hope International Church Belfast and other venues. Beneficial outcomes will also be gained by the public through informal education by Street Pastors on issues such as staying safe, planning to get home safely and accessing statutory and other services (e.g. health services and emergency services). Purpose 2: The promotion of health flows from this purpose. The beneficial outcomes to beneficiaries will include improved ‘street safety’, and better prospects for improved health and well-being of people when out and about during evenings in Belfast City Centre. These health benefits will be gained by the public through Street Pastors providing advice and assistance on the streets. Purpose 3: The advancement of religion, namely Christianity, flows from this purpose. The beneficial outcomes to beneficiaries will include the strengthening of faith and fellowship with other people through worship, prayer and Bible study. The beneficiaries of this purpose are members of Belfast public who attend meetings and participate in events, which are open to the public. There is no harm flowing from any of these purposes. The private benefit flowing from any purpose is that gained by a Trustee who participates in a programme. Any such Trustee may participate on the same basis as all other beneficiaries.
What your organisation does
Belfast Street Pastors started 4 years ago and has grown from around 10 initial volunteers to around 100, making Belfast Street Pastors one of the largest schemes in the UK. We patrol the centre of the city centre area as well as the Odyssey Arena, Cathedral Quarter, Dublin Road, Shaftsbury Square, Botanic & University Road areas, focusing on pubs
and clubs. particularly when people are leaving and arguably when at their most vulnerable. We also help at special events such as St Patrick's Day in the Holyland area of Belfast, where last year we picked up over 5,000 bottles. The Council Safety Officer said ‘we helped set a tone that prevented a number of incidents getting out of hand’. There are many organisations helping Belfast at night. What Street Pastors brings is churches working together to help in practical and more importantly in a spiritual way. Our strap line is ‘the church in action on the streets to care, listen and help’. With volunteers from around 50 different churches representing 15 denominations, revellers are amazed at the positive Christian witness. What makes us effective - we make ourselves available to care, listen and help anyone who wants or needs help, Pick up broken bottles to avoid ankle injury or being used as a weapon, give out flip-flops to girls in bare feet who may stand on broken glass or who are unsteady in high heels, calm anti-social behaviour through our presence, giving out toffees, talking, listening and prayer, stay with vulnerable people until they can get home safe, provide a listening ear, administer basic first aid, signpost people to other services, ministries and churches, pray and answer questions people have about faith. The Police, Council, door staff of pubs and clubs and other voluntary organisations recognise the contribution Street Pastors (as a collective group of Christians) are making to the night-time economy.
The charity’s classifications
- The advancement of education
- The advancement of religion
- The relief of those in need by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage
Who the charity helps
- Addictions (drug/solvent/alcohol abuse)
- Adult training
- Community safety/crime prevention
- General public
- Youth (14-25 year olds)
How the charity works
- Advice/advocacy/information
- Education/training
- Medical/health/sickness
- Relief of poverty
- Religious activities