How to Apply to be a Town Pastor

Applying to be a Town Pastor

Town Pastors work as part of a team alongside the police, door-staff and emergency services, seeking to be a positive influence principally on the streets of the Bury St Edmunds town centre on Saturday nights from 10.00pm until approximately 4.00am.

Although Town Pastors are Christian volunteers from a variety of local churches and denominations, the role of a Town Pastor is not primarily evangelistic but rather about listening, caring and helping people. It is about showing concern and offering assistance where appropriate, in a non-judgmental and unconditional way.

For reasons of personal safety and to make the most effective use of the Town Pastors, they are monitored by CCTV in the town centre area and are in radio contact with the CCTV control room.

The police and local council support Town Pastors on the streets of Bury St Edmunds.

Training is an essential part of becoming a Town Pastor and the basic training package will cover:

  • The values, role and responsibilities of a Town Pastor
  • Prayer
  • Drug and alcohol awareness
  • Personal safety and conflict management
  • Basic First Aid

This training will be delivered in training sessions on one Saturday (9.00am – 4.00pm), and four evenings. It is essential that would-be Town Pastors attend all sessions.

The next Town Pastor training course in Bury St Edmunds will take place on Saturday 11th May 2024 (9.00am – 4.00pm) and four evening sessions on Wednesday 15th May, Monday 20th May, Tuesday 4th June and Thursday 13th June.

If you are unable to attend on any of the above dates, it may be possible to arrange for that training session to be repeated or undertaken with another Suffolk Town Pastor scheme in a different Suffolk town.

To be considered for a place on the May/June training course, Town Pastor applications should arrive by Monday 29th April 2024. Applications received after this date will be considered if places are still available on the Town Pastor training course.

All Town Pastors will be required to have an enhanced check with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Not sure about applying to be a Town Pastor? Please contact Jo Copsey (tel: 07594 334215 or email: jocopsey@burytownpastors.org.uk) to arrange to come out with the Town Pastors for an hour or two, as an observer. This would give you a good insight into the role of a Town Pastor and may well inspire you to apply!

Town Pastor Application Forms

If you would like to apply to be a Town Pastor, please download the notes about the role of a Town Pastor, the application form and the reference form.

Notes about the role of Town Pastor

Town Pastor Application form

Town Pastor Reference form

Please fill in the application form and give a copy of the reference form to your two referees. These should be sent by post to the address indicated on the forms.

We look forward to receiving your application.