I would like to make a pop- up style installation as part of my future life project so it would be great if it was something that addressed an issue...
Street Pastors
'Street Pastors' is an inter-denominational Church response to urban problems, engaging with people on the streets to care, listen and dialogue.
They work voluntarily at night to care and listen to those who may be lonely, frightened, intoxicated, vulnerable, intimidated, hurting, merry and mischief makers. There are around 9000 trained street pastors in the UK in over 250 areas and their main aim is to care and listen without preaching. They give out water, blankets and flip flops for those with sore feet on a night out! I'm really inspired and touched by these wonderful people who give up their own time, on cold dark nights, to help those who many many people wouldn't give the time of day to.
My installation could be a place for the street pastors to be sited at, a known 'base' for them. Somewhere where people know they can go to if they are in need of help.
The installation would only be small, and the design could feature the bottle top to link back with alcoholism.
Here is a video of Ormskirk's (my town) street pastors talking about who they are and what they do.
http://lifeinanothertown.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Street%20Pastors
Liam Fogarty, former CEO of BBC Merseyside & runner-up in the Liverpool Mayoral campaign 2012 says...
“Most weekends my Saturday nights end right after Match of the Day. I got a different, and rather humbling perspective, when I accompanied the Liverpool City Centre Street Pastors on patrol in the city centre last night. This ecumenical group of men and women go about the streets and nightspots of Liverpool from 10.30pm to the early (or, if you prefer, really late hours). They offer a helping hand, a listening ear, and tea and sandwiches to any who might need them. They also come armed with flip-flops to allow the tottering owners of high-heeled shoes to negotiate their way home with minimum discomfort.
The Pastors don’t ‘evangelise’, at least in the sense of pressing prayers or literature upon those they help. But the volunteers I accompanied through Ropewalks, Mathew Street and Dale Street were ‘bearing witness’ through evidently good deeds.
Rough sleepers, raucous hen parties and revellers the worse for drink were all treated with kindness, patience and courtesy. The Pastors have good relations with the Police and door staff. And they gave me an insight into what the phrase ‘nightime economy’ really means. Night-time Liverpool is a fun place. People who enjoy the city centre pub and club scene have a great time and reckon its as safe and friendly as any in the UK.
From time to time I deed feel like I had walked into one of those endless programmes you find on Bravo TV and it kind of brought out my inner Oliver Cromwell. But what does one expect when my idea of a pushing the boat out on a Saturday night is staying up after MotD to watch The Football League Show…”
The Pastors don’t ‘evangelise’, at least in the sense of pressing prayers or literature upon those they help. But the volunteers I accompanied through Ropewalks, Mathew Street and Dale Street were ‘bearing witness’ through evidently good deeds.
Rough sleepers, raucous hen parties and revellers the worse for drink were all treated with kindness, patience and courtesy. The Pastors have good relations with the Police and door staff. And they gave me an insight into what the phrase ‘nightime economy’ really means. Night-time Liverpool is a fun place. People who enjoy the city centre pub and club scene have a great time and reckon its as safe and friendly as any in the UK.
From time to time I deed feel like I had walked into one of those endless programmes you find on Bravo TV and it kind of brought out my inner Oliver Cromwell. But what does one expect when my idea of a pushing the boat out on a Saturday night is staying up after MotD to watch The Football League Show…”
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