Aberdeen’s Street Pastors have launched their new Safe Space vehicle which will provide a warm, safe environment during the city’s weekend night hours.
The £70,000 refurbished NHS vehicle replaces the previous ageing truck used by the group.
It will allow the Street Pastors to provide a safe area for their listening, caring and helping service. They provide everything from first aid for minor injuries to warm drinks for those who have overindulged in alcohol, as well as a safe space to talk.
The Rev Capt Gerry Bowyer, Street Pastors operations director, said: “The Street Pastor scheme is about a way in which the church in the city, and there are 36 different churches involved in Street Pastors, can show the city something of what it means to be a Christian but also to show something of God’s love.
“Our guys are trained to be non-judgemental and to be listening, caring and helping, and to exercise those three qualities with a heart of love. We work with people who are in a dark place, we can signpost them to other agencies to get further help.
“We’ve dealt with people who are suicidal, people who have got serious money issues or relationship issues, and we connect with that on the street but the wider work is where we can lead them to other places to get further help.
“We connect with various other agencies throughout the city – some of them Christian some of them not Christian – to help people move forward because some people are just stuck because of things that they’re carrying.”
In 2013 Street Pastors helped 993 people through their old vehicle, and countless more through the use of their mobile teams.
The new vehicle will be situated on Belmont Street on Friday and Saturday evenings from 10pm.
Aberdeen divisional commander, chief superintendent Adrian Watson, said: “I am absolutely delighted that Aberdeen’s Street Pastors will have access to a new Safe Space vehicle, to enhance their valuable work within our city centre.
“Street Pastors have become a familiar sight in Aberdeen over the last seven years and in that time they have provided reassurance, support and direction to thousands of people, many of whom have inadvertently found themselves vulnerable during the course of a night out.”