Volunteers from Bristol Street Pastors received free first-aid and water safety training from David Fielding of RLSS UK Avon & North Wiltshire Branch. Here David shares with us how the day went –

Since the Bristol Street Pastors launched in May, their blue uniforms have become a familiar sight on the city’s streets. The Street Pastors are Christians who go out as a team on Saturday evenings to provide help and reassurance to people in the city. A typical evening could involve helping clubbers find their way home, handing out flip-flops to girls walking with bare feet, or simply providing company for people who are lonely or worse for wear.

Street Pastors often come across people suffering from minor injuries – everything from bleeding cuts to the early stages of hypothermia. This first-aid training will equip the Pastors with vital skills to help make a difference. We were also keen to offer some water-safety training. The floating harbour can prove a tempting target for revellers; so we trained the Street Pastors in some basic land-based rescue techniques that could make the difference between life and death.