As a resident in Hawkley Hall I can only sympathise with the local community in Ashton these days. I work in a local bar in Ashton an I am regularly disgusted with the behaviour I see on a weekly basis.Last Friday night I was stood outside on my mobile phone about 9.30pm and a gang of 11-16 yearolds walked past me pushing me out the way. Had a mixture of "daft slag" and "do you fancy a f*ck" shouted at me. I cant believe that parents are letting their children behave in such a manner. In previuos weeks, people have had their car windows smashed, had bottles thrown at them as they have walked past and a friend of mine was followed home by 4 boys aged around 15. I should not feel scared or intimidated when im stood outside my work place and young girls should be able to walk round the town centre without being in fear of nasty local chidren.

Town: kate.hardiman@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

If you are viewing this you are obviously on the internet, go to a search engine and put in Street Pastors.
Ok before you do I know some of you will condemn the idea straight away, even without looking. But bear in mind this modern liberal society of ours has tried so much to find a solution, without success. Where it has been tried the problems have been much worse than we face in Ashton. Whilst attending a town centre Church in Ashton I went out to talk to these young people, they were short of nothing materially. What I found they were short of was someone to listen. The fact I was a Christian moderated their language, believe me nothing they could have said would have been new to me.
The conversation progressed and there was dialogue other than obscenities from them. Sadly I could not generate interest from ANY of the churches in our town. I know some do good work, and more is in the pipeline as regards setting up facilities for these young people. But most don’t want to go inside any buildings, the streets are their habitat.
So, I have said my piece, I have banged the Christian drum, unashamedly, is it worth giving it a try? Are you a committed Christian? Didn’t Jesus mix with sinners?
It is strange that 85% of people in the last census described themselves as Christian yet a majority may well feel threatened by this posting.

May God Bless
Alan

Town: ajames46@fsmail.net