It's 11pm, St Patrick's Day weekend. Niall, David, and Isobel chat as they get ready for a Saturday night out on Carver Street.
This very minute, thousands of people across Sheffield are preparing for an evening of excess. But there's something unusual about this little group, as they pull on their coats and prepare for the city's clubbing quarter.
They will be out until past 4am, but they will not be dancing, or drinking so much as a drop of alcohol. They won't be stepping inside a single bar or club.
The three fill their bags with an unusual assortment of items: bottles of water, lollipops, flip-flops, and foil survival blankets are not the usual trappings of a Saturday night.
Niall, David, and Isobel are Street Pastors, and they have given up this drizzly Saturday night to patrol Sheffield's streets, and protect vulnerable people.
Who do Street Pastors help?
Groups of Street Pastors patrol Sheffield's streets every Friday and Saturday night.
They help people who have consumed too much alcohol, or have taken drugs. They protect women who are being pursued by unsavory men, and administer first aid to people with injuries.
The first thing they wish to make clear: Street Pastors don't discriminate.
Street Pastors is a Christian charity, funded by Ascension Trust. In order to become a Street Pastor, one must supply a personal reference from one's church leader.
Niall, David, and Isobel come from different churches across Sheffield, and it is their faith that inspires them to volunteer. Yet, after a private prayer before setting out, not a word on religion is uttered while they interact with people.
"If someone wants to talk to us about it, we're happy to discuss it," says Niall. "We don't go around pushing it on people."
They are kind, compassionate people, keen to help anyone: whatever their views on religion, whatever their race, whatever their sexuality.
The first thing they wish to make clear:
Street Pastors don't discriminate.
What do Street Pastors do?
In one night's work, the small group performs hundreds of small acts of kindness.
They chat and give water to homeless people, with whom team leader Niall, a regular volunteer at a local soup kitchen, is on first name terms. They hand out hoards of lollipops (the logic being that everyone is seems happier with a Swizzels Matlow in their hand), and generally approach anyone who looks as though they could use a helping hand.
During their five hours on the streets, they hand out a dozen pairs of flip-flops to girls they spot either tottering in stilettos, or walking barefoot.
Some people seem to know about Street Pastors, and to understand their intentions. These people accept their offers of flip-flops with thanks, and smiles of relief.
There are also many who attempt to swat away the proffered shoes, or who look skeptically at them, demanding "How much are they?"
The news that the salvation of their soles is being offered free of charge is invariably met with squeals, hugs, tears, and selfies.
"If people get in a fight on the street, one stray glass bottle can be used as a lethal weapon" -Niall
On this particular Saturday night, the group pick up over fifty bottles, which they spot lying around.
At around 3am, they encounter a man with a bloodied hand, surrounded by crying friends. David, a retired nurse, administers first aid and calls for an ambulance, while Isobel comforts the friends.
At another point, they spot a young girl standing on a street corner. She is barefoot, and looks upset. After she refuses help (and flip-flops), the three volunteers wait patiently at a small distance, unseen, until they are satisfied she is safe.
Their final act of the evening is to walk home a lone girl they spot swaying on her feet. It takes around half an hour to walk her to her house. They watch from the road to make sure she gets through her front door, before heading back to town.
The streets are beginning to clear by the time Niall, David, and Isobel head home to their families, as tired as if they had danced the night away.
This guy went "Oi, leave the Street Pastor
alone," and then pulled a knife out and
threatened him.
Why volunteer as a Street Pastor?
When asked this question, Niall shared a story about a fellow Sheffield Street Pastor named Vic.
"Vic and his team were out early one day during Tramlines. I think it was a Sunday afternoon. They were walking past John Lewis when they saw a young girl sitting down, writing in a notepad. She was very upset, so Vic went to talk to her.
"Vic was in his fifties or sixties. As he went to talk to her, this guy came over and he said "Leave her alone, paedophile."
"Then this other guy turned up. This guy went "Oi, leave the Street Pastor alone," and then pulled a knife out and threatened him, the other guy. Then they both disappeared.
I work with the homeless, so becoming a Street Pastor
just seemed like a natural extension of that.
Just a way to help people in general.
"When that drama was over, Vic got talking to the young lady and asked her what was wrong.
"She said she was actually writing her suicide note.
"She'd been sex trafficked into the UK, and she'd managed to get away and she was going to kill herself.
"They managed to talk her out of that, and they got the police and said the police were fantastic with her. Absolutely fantastic."
Every student knows a story of a night out that's gone
wrong. We all have those stories, but why don't we do something about that?
Rachel Kenny, a masters student at the University of Sheffield, is currently training to become a Street Pastor.
At 23 years old, she's one of the youngest volunteers.
Like many other Street Pastors, she has a history of charity work, including volunteering at her church's soup kitchen.
She spoke about why she is happy to give up her Saturday nights to help others.
How to get involved
David, Niall, and Isobel are three of around 60 Street Pastors currently operating in Sheffield city centre and Burngreave. The Street Pastors began in Brixton in 2003, with just 18 volunteers. Today, there more than 300 groups operating in UK towns and cities every Friday and Saturday night, with over 20,000 people involved with the Street Pastors volunteering network.
We always need more volunteers in Sheffield. We'd like to send out bigger groups.
"Bigger cities like London and Edinburgh can send out bigger groups," says Niall.
The Sheffield group is keen to train more volunteers.
If you are interested, you can visit their website to find out more, or get in touch on Facebook or Twitter.
