Hemel Hempstead will now be kept safer at the weekends as the long-awaited street pastors scheme goes live this week.
The initiative has also received a cash boost from councillor for Hemel Hempstead South East Jan Maddern, who donated £3,000 from her locality budget.
The street pastors will have their first test patrol on Friday, working with the police around pubs to provide support for revellers.
Councillor Maddern said: “I saw first hand the benefits of this excellent initiative in Watford, and I am very proud to support its implementation here.”
Chairman of the town’s scheme Graham Richardson said: “It costs £300 to train each street pastor and £100 for their uniforms, that is why grants are so important to us.”
Councillor Jan Maddern (Hemel Hempstead South East) has allocated £3000 to enable fully trained Street Pastors to patrol the town centre on Friday and Saturday nights. The money will be used to pay for 27 uniforms and equipment.
Street Pastors is a Christian street initiative which aims to build safer and more peaceful communities by working with the police to bring a calming influence around the pub and club areas of towns and cities.
Councillor Jan Maddern said: “Having been out on patrol with a similar scheme in Watford I was amazed to see how Street Angels have become an integral part of the night life in the town centre. I saw first hand the benefits of this excellent initiative, and I am very proud to be able to join the local police in supporting the implementation of Street Pastors in Hemel Hempstead. I wish them every success.”
A total of £10,000 is available to each of the 77 members of Hertfordshire County Council to spend on worthwhile community projects in their area.
Locality budgets were launched in July 2009, with funding to be used for worthy social, economic or environmental causes in Hertfordshire. For information on how to apply for funding under the scheme visit www.hertsdirect.org/localitybudgets
Graham Richardson, leader of the street pastors scheme in the town, said: “It costs around £300 to train each street pastor and £100 for their uniforms, so we have to ask them to contribute some money themselves. That is why it has been so important to get grants from the borough council.”