By 10.30pm on Friday nights, you would expect most 83-year-old pensioners would choose to be tucked up at home sitting in their favourite armchair, with their toes tucked into their slippers and a piping hot mug of Cocoa in their hand. Not so Sheila Brown, of St Paul’s Church, Nonsuch.

Sheila, aged 83 is the oldest of Sutton’s 40 ‘street pastors’. These are local residents who give up their evenings at weekends to provide help and support to people making their way home after a night out. Last Friday (18th June) Sheila was in Sutton High Street during England’s World Cup match against Algeria which was playing to audiences in packed bars and clubs.

The street pastors undergo 12 weeks training and whilst out on patrol in pairs they are linked by radio and mobile phone. They provide practical help, such as handing out water, flip flops, lollipops, drink spikeys and blankets. They may assist people by walking them to a taxi, or calling the person’s relatives or friends to pick them up. However, much of the time they are there to provide a caring and sympathetic ear without being judgemental. They have helped a homeless person get into a hostel and received emails from mothers thanking the street pastors for helping their daughters get home safely.

"I find it very rewarding to provide support to people in need of help," said Sheila, who gave up being a prison visitor at the age of 75 and had been looking for a new challenge. "One girl I helped was unwell at the end of a night out and we stayed with her until her bus arrived. But before she got on she threw her arms round me and said ‘I love you’".

Drawn from local churches around the borough, the street pastors are in Sutton Town Centre every Friday and Saturday night. They have just started a new shift for the summer on alternative Fridays in North Cheam and from this September they are looking at extending their coverage to Wallington, St Helier and Roundshaw.

Co-ordinator of the Street Pastors Mark Tomlinson said all the street pastors are drawn from local churches. They must be in good health and they must have a desire to be useful and helpful. "It’s all about them putting their faith into action in a practical way," he said. "We want people to enjoy themselves and have a good night out - it’s not all about dealing with gloom and doom type issues," he added.

To provide the extra shifts planned the street pastors are looking for new recruits. You can contact them on:

Tel: 07525 838640
Email: sutton@streetpastors.org.uk
Web: www.suttonstreetpastors.org

Chief Inspector Dave Gair, of Safer Sutton Partnership, said: ''Sutton's Street Pastors are an integral part of the 'place' that is Sutton High Street at weekends and are helping to keep Sutton safe. They regularly patrol until around 3am and to have Sheila, at 83 years old, part of the team is both encouraging and inspiring''

Football fans Ben Richardson (white shirt) and David Paine (red shirt) with Street Pastor Sheila Brown