On Saturday evening at 9.30pm, I had the privilege of joining the Reading Street Pastors as they began their Saturday night patrol.
There were eight volunteers heading out into Reading town centre, quietly giving up their own Saturday evening to look after complete strangers. Before meeting them, I think I probably held the same perception as many others; that Street Pastors were simply about handing out flip-flops and lollipops. I couldn`t have been more wrong.
What I witnessed was an extraordinary service to our community.
They are often the calm voice in a moment of crisis, supporting someone who may be vulnerable, frightened, injured or simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. They provide reassurance, practical help, a safe space, and when needed become the vital link to the ambulance service, police or other emergency support.
One statistic stopped me in my tracks: around 97% of the people they support who may otherwise have needed A&E don`t end up going. Think about that for a moment. The value they provide to our town, our emergency services and, most importantly, to the people they help is immense, running into hundreds of thousands of pounds each year, but far more importantly measured in kindness, compassion and lives quietly changed.
As High Sheriff, I am continually inspired by the remarkable people who make Berkshire such a special place, and the Reading Street Pastors are certainly among them. I left the evening feeling humbled, grateful and determined to champion their work wherever I can.
A special thank you to Sally and every one of the Reading Street Pastors for your dedication, kindness and unwavering commitment to our community. You make Reading a safer, kinder place, often without anyone ever knowing your name.
And one final story that perfectly sums up Berkshire. Before meeting the team, I stopped at our local M&S to buy sandwiches, drinks and treats for the eight volunteers. When the manager asked what they were for and I explained, he immediately disappeared and returned with pastries and buckets of mini cakes for the team.
No fuss. No fanfare. Just one act of kindness inspiring another.
That, to me, is what community looks
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