A SCHEME already credited with reducing alcohol-fuelled late night violence nationally will be taking to the streets of Minehead later this month.

Volunteers from churches of all denominations have joined forces to launch a street pastors project in West Somerset.

But rather than preaching heaven and hell to revellers, the pastors will be there to offer both a caring and helping hand by either listening to problems or offering practical help, such as bottled water or flip-flops to those unable to make it home in their high heels.

So far, 15 Christians have undergone training to become street pastors and will be officially commissioned at the Avenue Methodist Church in Minehead next Saturday, March 26.

They will then head straight out onto the streets in teams of four, offering support to people between 10pm and 3am.

The street pastors themselves will have the back-up of prayer pastors and all have training in basic first aid and even anger management.

The Rev Kenneth Cross, a member of the scheme's management committee and representative of St Michael the Archangel Church in Alcombe, said street pastors were all about providing a caring presence to make Minehead's nightlife safer.

He said it had taken almost two years for the scheme to come to fruition and the response so far had been very encouraging.

"Street pastors are basically carers - they're not there to recruit for churches or to preach at or judge people, they're simply there to be a compassionate presence.

"There are over a hundred street pastor schemes nationally and crime figures have been reduced in many instances.

"We are very excited about this and are at the stage now where we're ready to fly."

The scheme has the full support of the police and West Somerset Council and has been given £3,000 in grants from local churches, the Community Safety Partnership and Avon and Somerset Police.

Local police sergeant Tom Mayberry said: "We are pleased to support the street pastors.

"The pastors will be a valuable asset to the town and community, offering independent help and advice and, as already proven in other areas, helping to prevent incidents of anti-social behaviour."

Street pastors were pioneered in London in 2003 and all schemes are licensed by the Ascension Trust.

The Minehead project has cross denominational support and around 60 people turned out to find out more at an information event held in Minehead in September last year.

To be a street pastor volunteers must be aged over 18, a church member and able to commit to a training programme.

"On the whole, people have been very supportive about having a caring presence.

"Street pastors are not going to be doing police work, they will be there to be a listening ear," Mr Cross said.

He himself has already had a taste of life as a street pastor after spending an evening with volunteers on the streets of Taunton.

"We were universally well received and hopefully we will be able to establish a good rapport with people here as well," he said.

Pete Hughes, West Somerset Council's community safety officer, said he was pleased to see the scheme being extended to Minehead.

He said: "Having seen the benefits this scheme has brought places like Taunton, I am pleased that the Community Safety Partnership has set aside some funding to help start up a similar system here.

"The volunteers lend a helping hand to people who need one or can listen and signpost people to places where they can get extra help if they need it.

"It is heartening that volunteers will give up their own time to help others in this way while expecting nothing in return."

To become a volunteer or to find out more information about the scheme, organisers can be contacted by email: [email protected]">[email protected].