The Pembroke Street Pastors' initiative has taken another major step forward with the formation of a management committee which hopes to sign the agreement with Ascension Trust at a meeting in Westgate Chapel Pembroke on Saturday, June 14, at 10 am. "Things are really progressing well," said Rob James, Pastor of Wesgate Chapel. "We have established a committee which represents a good cross-section of local church life and are now looking forward to organising a training programme which will enable us to be out on the streets as soon as possible." "The meeting on the 14th is the next key stage in the process," explained newly-appointed co-ordinator Lyn Edwards. "The Ascension Trust's Tony Winter will share with local church leaders and members of their congregations, as well as representatives of the police and the local authority, the vision, the impact of the other initiatives as well as training and financial needs. This meeting is a very significant one and is designed to answer any questions and allay any fears or apprehensions that people may have." Street Pastors is an inter-denominational church response to urban problems, engaging with people on the streets to care, listen and dialogue. It was pioneered in London in January 2003 by Rev. Les Isaac, director of the Ascension Trust, who visited Pembroke recently, and has seen some remarkable results, including drops in crime in areas where teams have been working. There are now some 9,000 trained volunteers in around 250 teams around the United Kingdom. Each city project is set-up by Ascension Trust and run by a local co-ordinator with support from Ascension Trust and local churches and community groups, in partnership with police, council and other statutory agencies. Speaking on behalf of Dyfed Powys Police, PCSO Emma Thomas said: "We fully support the initiative of street pastors being set-up within the Pembroke area, and think it would be a valuable asset to our community." Her enthusiasm was endorsed by the Rev. Geoffrey Howell, who added: "As chaplain at Pembroke Dock Police Station, I'm delighted to see how well so many different churches and the police are all working together to serve the local community. We all share a special concern for those who may be having particular problems or issues to deal with." "As a committee, we would encourage Christians to make a real effort to attend this next meeting," Rob James added. "This initiative offers us a fantastic opportunity to make a valuable contribution to the life of our local community."