Mike Penning attended the launch of the Street Pastor initiative at the South Hill Centre on Wednesday (24th October).

Street Pastors is supported by members of Hemel Hempstead churches, the County Council, Dacorum Borough Council, Hertfordshire Police, Billy's Wish and the parents of Billy Dove.

Street Pastors teams go out into the community to connect with people on their terms, to pubs, clubs, in parks or at parties. The role is not to go out and preach at people but to listen and to be an active demonstration of God’s love out on the streets.

The launch evening included supportive speeches from Mike, the Mayor of Dacorum Cllr Bert Chapman, and Chief Inspector Mike Pryce.

Afterwards, Mike Penning said:
“Street Pastors is a great initiative which has proved very successful elsewhere. I am delighted that they have undertaken to continue the great work done by the charity Billy’s Wish - the charity set up in memory of Billy Dove - to reduce knife crime and raise awareness of the problems of knife crime in Hemel Hempstead.”

More information about Street Pastors: www.streetpastors.co.uk [1]

Billy’s Wish website: www.billyswish.co.uk [2]

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