FOLLOWING much delay, Street Pastors of Newton Abbot and Torbay gathered to welcome new recruits and also to celebrate those who had reached their 10 year anniversary.

The commissioning service took place at St Paul’s Church in Paignton on Friday, October 7.

Two guest speakers attended the evening, MP Kevin Foster and Steve Darling respectively, both of whom have experienced Saturday night with the Street Pastors in Torbay.

The event was organised by the Torbay Coordinator Gill Hayllor and assisted by the Newton Abbot Coordinator Dixie Kendall-Dunn.

Dixie said: ‘In the 10 years I have been a street pastor, I have never received any abuse, just love, respect and thanks for all we do.

‘People are amazed that we are volunteers and do not get paid for what we do, and that most of us are grandparents and looking out to help where we can because one of the vulnerable people could be our grandchildren.

‘The way I look at the night, if we go home helping just one person to get safely home, then we too go home knowing we did a good job.’

The evening finished with a special award for Coordinator Trevor Staverley who has now retired.

Earlier this year Trevor was also awarded the MBE for his work with the street pastors.