IN the summer of 2009 Bibury man Tim Jennings was savagely attacked outside the Parish Church in Cirencester and died as a result of his injuries. Following the 25-year-old's death, church leaders in the town got together and discussed what the Christian response should be – their answer was to form the Street Pastors. Reporter Brendan McFadden went out with the volunteers.

STREET Pastors are volunteers from all of the town’s four churches, who have been patrolling the streets of Cirencester on a Saturday night since February 2011, where they assist people who are drunk and distressed.

Armed with flip flops for girls who have taken off their heels, first aid kits, water, blankets and lollipops to give people a needed sugar boost , they patrol all of the town centre.

There are more than 30 pastors in the town in total, and they have gone through rigorous training in areas such as mental health, first aid and drugs and alcohol awareness, so they know how to assist the many types of people they come across each night.

I joined the Street Pastors on a Saturday night for an insight into what they encounter.

Over the course of the evening, I spent time with two groups of pastors – Maureen Keepin and Sheelagh Hughes, and Peter Ewart and Maggie Langman.

While on patrol, Sheelagh explained to me that we had to walk at a slow place so distressed and drunk people on their own could be spotted and then helped if needed.

She said that being able to help those in a state of distress was a great way of carrying out her Christian duty.

She said: “Jesus asks us to be salt and light, to be helpful to the community, be there for people who are in need, and we are fulfilling this need. I see it as a job, a way in which I can serve Jesus as well as my community.”

Peter, who chairs the group and helped set it up, said: “Almost everywhere street pastors operate, police report a lowering of criminal activity."

He explained that police said after two years of the Street Pastors being around there had been a reduced amount of criminal activity.

There are over 300 Street Pastors groups across the UK and, although Cirencester is smaller than nearby towns such as Cheltenham and Swindon, there is still a need for the volunteers here.

Peter said: “Being in Cirencester is very different from some of the bigger towns such as Swindon and Cheltenham, there a lot more going on there but we still feel we are doing a useful job here.

“Every night we are out we always come across something that makes it all worth while.”

The most serious incident the pastors attended over the course of the evening was tending to a man who had fallen and hit his head outside ReVA as he left the club at closing time.

The pastors looked after the man and gave him water before the emergency services arrived.

This is just one example of the great work they do, and after just one night with the volunteers it was clear that they play a vital role in keeping Cirencester safe.