Reading to open permanent town centre Safe Space for residents

THE Council and partners will officially open Reading Safe Space, the home of First Stop and Street Pastors, on Thursday 5 October. This initiative will allow residents and visitors to access medical assistance and on the spot help from a permanent place in the town centre.

Reading Safe Space is located at St Mary’s Church House on Chain Street. First Stop provides a vital service to those enjoying the town centre on Friday and Saturday nights, administering first aid supported by paramedics from the South Central Ambulance Service. It allows those in need of medical help to gain immediate access to the help they need through on the spot assessment and treatment. This additionally takes the pressure off of hard pressed A&E departments by reducing the number of visits required to Royal Berkshire Hospital.

Reading’s Street Pastors are a team of volunteers who patrol the town centre on Friday and Saturday nights to care for, listen to and help people who are out for the evening.

In addition to housing these services, Reading Safe Space will deliver a range of community safety related services including crime prevention advice and training, and resources and support for victims of crime. The space will be multi-functional, so it can be used for both night-time safety services and day-time training and events. 

The First Stop service was previously run on a temporary basis from Minster Church, and before that from a bus, so a permanent home provides many advantages. The new building is self contained and provides a much bigger space, will be better equipped, and allows the Council to deliver other safety services there alongside partners.

Karen Rowland, Lead Councillor for Environmental Services and Community Safety, said:

“I’m delighted to see Reading Safe Space open in the town centre as this is a vital element of our collective work in Reading around ensuring safety for women and girls in the night-time economy. It will give a vital permanent home to both First Stop and the Street Pastors, two crucial town centre services whose work is so greatly valued. We’re proud that this partnership approach is able to ensure both residents and visitors that they can feel safe here and have a safe place to turn to should they need it. Importantly, this also removes pressure on the NHS, saving trips to A&E by treating those in need of help on the spot.”

Sally Leonard, Reading Street Pastor Co-Ordinator, and Penny Meadley, Specialist Practice Manager for South Central Ambulance Service NHSFT, said:

“First Stop, Street Pastors and South Central Ambulance NHSFT are delighted to be moving in to the new Safe Space. We’re excited to have a permanent home for our services where we will have the space and facilities to help see and treat any patients who need our help on a Friday or Saturday night”.

The new facility has been made possible by working with the Police Crime Commissioner’s Office (OPCC) and other partners, and funded by some of the £429,000 Safer Streets funding received from the Home Office last year to reduce crime and improve safety in the town centre.

Matthew Barber, Police and Crime Commissioner for the Thames Valley, said:

“I am delighted that my office was able secure Safer Streets funding to deliver the Reading Safe Space. Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of joining First Stop and Reading Street Pastors on a Friday evening shift to see first-hand the essential support they provide to people on a night out in the town centre. It is great that both organisations will now have a permanent home in the town and that the Safe Space will provide other important community safety related services, including support for victims of crime.”

Thanks to the Safer Streets funding Reading Borough Council has also created a Safer Students partnership with the University of Reading, Reading University Students’ Union and Reading College to improve safety for students in Reading. This includes a particular focus on the town centre at night-time, especially for women and girls,  and has engaged with students for their views on safety and worked alongside night time venues to provide clear and accessible information about Reading’s range of safety services. These include First Stop, Ask for Angela and the My Way app, and access to personal safety tools including anti-spiking devices. The Council has also worked with the University and College to create tailored training for students on informed consent and bystander awareness, which alongside the My Way app and the opening of the Safe Hub will create a safer night time environment for all students.