JULIA SET TO WORK WITH CAMBORNE'S STREET PASTORS

10.00.00am GMT Tue 6th Jan 2009

Julia will hit the streets of Camborne this Friday night to engage local youngsters as she find out what it means to be a "street pastor". She will be out until 4am with a team of trained "pastors" - volunteers from local churches in Camborne - to meet young people and observe the work of the project.

Julia said she wanted to demonstrate her full support of the street pastor scheme by putting in an all-night session. Sporting a yellow flak-jacket, she will do three shifts between 10pm and 4am and get a different perspective of her home town.

Julia said: "This is a fantastic project that really makes a positive difference to the lives of local young people. I am very honoured to be able to join the other volunteers in taking part in this scheme and look forward to meeting the young people on the street. It is great to be able to help in such a hands-on way, and I hope that my contribution will in some way make a difference to them."

The street pastor scheme was established in Camborne last autumn with the help of funding from Kerrier district council, Camborne town council and local church groups. It is co-ordinated in Camborne by Rev Mike Firbank, of Camborne Parish Church, who brought the scheme to the town.

Rev Firbank said: "The project has been out for three Fridays in a row and has called in a handful of serious incidents for police to respond to. Hopefully Julia will gain something from the experience of seeing a different side to Camborne. It is a totally different place late at night, and it will give her a better understanding of the issues facing young people here."