Two local figures have been recognised for their achievements at the 2009 Leading Wales Awards. Mark Thomas, programme leader for the Bridgend Street Pastors, and Lee Jones, Head of Trading Standards at Bridgend County Borough Council, both made it through to the final of the awards, which recognises the achievements of people whose leadership has had a positive impact on the community and contributes to the prosperity of Wales.
Mark was both nominated for and won the Team Leader category for his work in bringing organisations and churches of different denominations together for the street pastor scheme, an initiative which helps to make Bridgend town centre a safer place on Friday and Saturday nights.
Lee was nominated in the Public Sector Organisations category. A former winner of Bridgend County Borough Council’s Face of Bridgend Awards in 2008, Lee leads the council’s Trading Standards team.
Councillor David Sage, Deputy Leader of Bridgend County Borough Council, said: “Both Lee and Mark should feel very proud at having made it through to the final of the Leading Wales Awards 2009.
“Their work has a direct effect on the quality of people’s lives and helps to make Bridgend County Borough a better place to live, work, and visit.
“In setting up the street pastor scheme in Bridgend, Mark secured the backing of local churches, the police and council and also trained the first 20 volunteers. The scheme has since grown to feature more than 50 volunteers and a triage centre offering police and medical assistance. His tireless efforts have been at the core of the success of the street pastor scheme in Bridgend.”
David MacGregor, Assistant Chief Executive, added: “Lee’s can-do attitude and decisive leadership has improved the council’s trading standards service and allowed it to be of even greater benefit to the local community. We are proud that his achievements have been recognised by the Leading Wales Awards.”
Jo Farrar, Chief Executive of Bridgend County Borough Council, was also highly commended by the awards, at which Bridgend County Borough Council was the only local authority to be represented.
The Street Pastors
Church leaders, Bridgend County Borough Council and South Wales Police have joined forces to tackle issues within Bridgend Town Centre during the busy evenings of the weekends, when the streets are at their most volatile.The scheme is led by Hope Baptist Church minister Reverend Mark Thomas who became interested in the scheme after hearing of its many successes elsewhere in the country, such as London, Manchester, Birmingham, and Leeds as well as Wrexham and Weston-Super-Mare. “It was first set up in London by the Ascension Trust as a response to urban problems in January 2003. The trust will be in charge of administering the scheme in Bridgend too”. “Volunteers on the Street Pastor Scheme must be church leaders, ministers or members with a concern for the community and willing to engage with people. Because of the location of my church I often help people into taxis and give them my phone number so if they have the same problems in the morning they can ring me. The volunteers will be able to direct people in need of help to the right agencies”.
Superintendent Tim Jones supported the idea and said it would bring an “exciting opportunity” to Bridgend. “Maybe there are some gaps in the police service that this scheme can fill. There are times when police officers leave a situation with an uneasy feeling where the Street Pastor Scheme could help. If a 15 or 16 year old is sat on a bench late at night they won’t want to talk to a figure of authority but the availability of the pastoral care would be reassuring”.
Rev Thomas said that if the scheme proved a success it could be rolled out to other towns like Maesteg and Porthcawl. Volunteers would be CRB checked and go on a 12 week training course before being allowed on the streets and will be paired up and go out into the streets in teams of 4.
The launch of the scheme took place on Wednesday 21st March at the Council Chamber at Civic Offices and it is hoped that the first volunteers will be on the streets of Bridgend by July 2007.
Written on Tuesday, 03 March 2009 08:25 by Richard Winters
