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Pastors hit the streets to curb anti-social youths
Evening Standard02.09.08
Church leaders will patrol Wandsworth town centre from next month in an extension of the area's street pastors initiative.
Working in teams of four, street pastors aim to tackle anti-social behaviour by visiting areas where teenagers gather and trying to talk to them about their lives and issues.
The scheme will operate initially in the afternoons, but it is hoped it will be extended into the evenings. It follows the success of a trial in Balham which has run on Friday and Saturday evenings since April.
Council leader Edward Lister said: "We have some very committed people in Wandsworth who are determined to make this work. There's been a lot of interest in this scheme from churches in different parts of the borough. We are currently looking at further schemes in Battersea and Tooting."
The two-year project will be funded by the council with police support.
