8 minute read
Local People
Juliana Bailey
Looking after the people of Okehampton
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Juliana and David
Juliana Bailey from Sampford Courtenay has been involved with Okehampton Street Pastors since its inception in 2017 — providing care to the people of the town when they are most vulnerable.
Street Pastors was pioneered in 2003 by Les Isaac when a group of church volunteers from South London went out on the streets to talk to people and try to make a difference to the volume of knife crime. Since then over 12,000 street and prayer pastors have been trained and play an active part in strengthening community life and working for safer streets. Street Pastors is run by Ascension Trust, a Christian interdenominational organisation, whose mission is ‘to mobilise the Church to make a positive contribution to society and to improve the quality of life of the disadvantaged and vulnerable’.
Okehampton Street Pastors was set up in February 2017. Meeting on alternate and Saturdays, a typical night for the Okehampton team starts at 10.30pm at Fairplace Church when the pastors get together for prayer before they patrol the streets. The first patrol is where the team gauges how busy the town is and to check for any items that may cause harm to people, including broken bottles. Once their tour is over, it’s back to the church for a bit of respite before heading out for their second patrol with their iconic backpacks. It is during the second patrol where they witness people who may have had a little too much alcohol and / or need some assistance. Within their backpacks they carry bottles of water, a dustpan and brush and bags (to sweep up and dispose of any broken glass), a basic first aid kit, the ever popular lollipops and flip flops for people who have taken off their stiletto heels and run the risk of hurting their bare feet. The night ends when it quietens down which can be anywhere between 3am and 3.30am.
Despite the long nights in all weathers. Juliana, who became a Christian in 1997, says she greatly enjoys her patrols and is so thankful for her ‘accidental’ inclusion into the patrol team: ‘It’s a great opportunity to meet people who we normally wouldn’t be able to engage with. We are there to care, listen and help; we are particularly looking for people who are upset or angry, stumbling, or if they are vulnerable adults, underage children or unwell.
‘I was with Street Pastors from day one but I just thought I would do admin — before I knew it, I was part of the patrol team!’
Juliana was born in Birmingham in 1958 and moved to Devon in 1994: ‘I have personal experience of the effect that alcohol abuse can have on a person and their family so if I can help anyone to not go down that road then that’s what I will do. I am not stopping people from having fun but it’s a hard road back from alcohol dependency and I don’t want to see people go down that slippery slope. A night out is a night off from the reality of life and if we can help them and keep them safe then that’s what we will do.
‘After our patrols, we are on a high as we have been able to help and meet new people — that’s so rewarding.
‘We often find that people are very protective of us as well, they offer us coats and hot chocolate, even though we have thick coats on and they aren’t wearing a lot! People are so caring and lovely.’ Street Pastors work closely with the councils, police and many other organisations, although information disclosed by the
public remains confidential unless there is a legal requirement to share it.
Juliana is the group’s secretary, she said they are happy to host a talk for any local group wanting to hear more. For more information, or if you would like to enquire about volunteering, contact her at secretary.okehampton@streetpastors.org.uk
Lindsay Turpin
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The future is bright for Finley
In a short space of time, one local lad is taking the world of motorbike racing by storm.
Finley Arscott age 20, from Lifton, has had a very short career so far with no previous experience in riding a motorbike but has already progressed to a very high level. In only his second year of competing he came 6th in the Thundersport Superteens in 2019 which is club racings highest level of Junior Championship.
Finley then went on to finish second in the Thundersport Superteens Championship in 2020 and 1st in the Thundersport Junior Cup. This year, Finley moved up to the 600cc Class in the No Limits Pirelli Elite 600cc competing in 4 of 7 rounds finishing 8th in the championship out of 47, after a collarbone injury at the first round resulting in him being unable to race until June. Finley also competed in 2 of 7 rounds in the Thundersport 600 Elite Championship finishing 16th out of 61. Finley was fortunate to also compete as a wild card in three rounds of British Superbikes in BSB National Superstock 600 Championship where he finished on his highest position to date — 20th out of 45.
Next year Finley will be joining the BSB Team — a huge achievement and has paved the way for more success in the future.
‘I am definitely proud of myself,’ said Finley. ‘I’ve come along away in the short time I’ve been riding but the biggest part for me is the people around me. I’ve had such a journey throughout the years and I’ve had the greatest support ever and not just from family and friends.
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Finley’s Mum and Dad, Polly and Paul Arscott, are also super proud of his achievements — and they know the best is yet to come.
Polly said: ‘His Dad, Paul, and I are really proud of what he’s achieved so far with so little experience, he is definitely talented.
‘He was only allowed to start riding a bike if he passed his GCSE’s so we kept our fingers crossed that he might fail. I think we were the only parents who were not happy that he passed all of them! ‘It’s really great that we spend time together as a family at weekends when he’s racing.’
Finley has Signed with Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki powered by JR Performance Racing in British Superbikes in the National Junior Superstock 600cc Championship Class. JR Performance Racing was started in January 2019 by Team Owner Joe Richardson who has worked for the majority of big team names in the British Superbike Paddock. They won the BSB National Superstock 600 Championship in 2020 with Ben Luxton and in 2021 Joe Talbot came second only 7 points adrift of First position.
Lindsay Turpin
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