Elgin Street and (Forres) School Pastors to complete sponsored walk from Findhorn to Lossiemouth
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MEMBERS of a group dedicated to helping students at Forres Academy are doing a 15-mile sponsored walk on Saturday, November 6.
The trio, three of nine volunteers based at the school, will be joining the Elgin Street and School Pastors in the fundraiser for training, uniforms, first aid and more.
Forres School Pastor coordinator, Anne Priest, confirmed the walk will start at 9am, following Findhorn beach and the coastal path before ending at the Ponderosa Café at Lossiemouth.
She said: "If you would like to help us on our way by giving a donation, go to https://www.justgiving.com/search?q=elgin%2520street%2520pastors.
"The money will be used for ongoing training, uniforms and equipment for use in our work in schools once we are able to go inside."
Elgin Street Pastors first patrol was in April, 2013 but the movement was pioneered in London in 2003. It demonstrates the church in action, through listening and helping.
Elgin Street Pastors is operated by a management team with representatives from different churches. Each Saturday night, a team goes out from 10pm until 4am in Elgin town centre to show care via talking to people, helping them to find friends or get home safely, as well as offering practical help, giving out water, flip-flops, lollipops, foil blankets, beanie hats and basic first aid.
The Christian volunteers started helping out at Forres Academy in February 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic temporarily stopped the local project.
Anne explained: "We're there to support the guidance and welfare staff. Our aim is to be approachable if anyone needs help or a listening ear, to show that we care and to offer to help if appropriate."
She added: "We started going into the school in pairs at lunchtimes in The Hub. We chatted to students and played games with them before covid quickly put a stop to that.
"Since then, we've not been able to be inside the school so, once covid regulations allowed, two teams of two people have been going out every Monday and Thursday lunchtime to walk around the vicinity, chatting to students and litter picking."
To find out more, visit https://streetpastors.org/locations/elgin/
