Winchester street pastors busier over Christmas (From This is Hampshire)
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Winchester street pastors busier over Christmas
6:09pm Friday 11th January 2013 in Hampshire Chronicle By Wesley Rock
Street pastors outside Winchester Cathedral after a service to celebrate its launch in 2011
WINCHESTER’S Street Pastors have reported a rise in the number of incidents they dealt with over the festive period.
The pastors have been patrolling the city’s streets for over a year now, coming to the aid of revellers in distress.
But Mark Hibbert-Hingston, who leads Winchester’s pastors, said that while figures are generally higher for 2102, the group did not feel themselves to be busier.
He said: “It’s been lively but good natured over Christmas. The streets remain generally peaceful and people-friendly and welcoming.”
The number of aggressive situations calmed by the pastors tripled from two to six, while the number of revellers who had become isolated or distressed, and who comforted by the group, more than doubled from three to seven.
First Aid given, including help cleaning up vomit, more than trebled from two to seven incidents.
The figures for 2012 cover Saturday, December 15, Friday 21 and Saturday December 22.
