Ayr and Prestwick Street Pastors

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Ayr and Prestwick Street Pastors Team of 22 from 10 local churches trying to care and help others like Jesus did.

Street Pastors are a Christian inter-denominational organisation with a passion to empower individuals to work together within their local community and nation, to contribute positively to society and to improve the quality of life of the disadvantaged and vulnerable.

30/09/2026

On Saturday 26th September the team of Alastair, Mark & Susan met at the church hall as usual to check the equipment, contact the Prayer Pastors and to pray before beginning the patrol at Burns Statue Square. The square was quiet – which would be the same for the rest of Ayr and for Prestwick as well. All the door staff reported that it had been a quiet weekend, though no-one seemed sure why it was not busy.

The team did have a conversation with a young lad outside Rabbie’s who was grateful for what the Street Pasters do. There were no incidents of note in Ayr, so the team headed to Prestwick.

The team were able to give flip-flops to a couple of girls who were struggling with their shoes, and gave a bottle of water to a young woman who was having a coughing fit, but like Ayr, Prestwick was quite quiet. The team did have a few conversations with some of the people outside the Vic and the Golf; and a couple of people expressed their thanks to the team for being available to help.

The team headed back to Ayr, and after a break for coffee headed out to the center of Ayr again. Nile Court was the only place where people were gathered, and after chatting to a number of groups of people for a while, the team ended the patrol at 2am. Thanks to the Prayer Pastors for their ongoing support of the teams on a Saturday night.

23/09/2026

On Saturday 19th September, after checking the equipment and having a time of prayer, the team of Mike, Irene and Gwen headed out on to the streets of Ayr on what was a wet and windy night. The top of the town venues reported reasonable numbers of well behaved revellers with the bad weather meaning not many were moving around the town. After a chat with Tam at the bus stop, the team walked down High Street to check with the stewards at Harleys. They removed a higher than normal number of bottles and glasses from the street on the way and swept up a large amount of broken glass. Both venues in the Nile Court were open, but neither at capacity at that time. One young lady was grateful for a pair of flip flops and get her high heel shoes off (this became a recurring theme throughout the night on what had been Ayr Gold Cup day) The team then checked in with the taxi marshals before heading to Prestwick. All venues in Prestwick were busy, all reported their customers were in good spirits and behaving. There was a queue of people waiting to enter Gracie O’Mallys, but a heavy shower sent most off indoors. The team headed down the Main Street, picking up bottles and broken glass, where they met Ben and Luke sheltering in a doorway. The team had an interesting conversation with the lads about faith and its relevance today. Ben even swept up some broken glass for them. The lads then thanked the team for their good work, with the team moving off to complete their tour of the town. Three more pairs of flip flops were given out and one young girl who was not from the area was walked to the taxi rank by the team after they found her in distress when her friend had abandoned her to go off with a boy. A return to Ayr followed, and after some refreshments, the team returned to the streets. They hadn’t gone far when they encountered another young girl clearly upset. She refused to tell the team what was wrong, saying she only wanted to go home. The team gave her a foil blanket and escorted her to the taxi rank, where they passed her into the care of the taxi marshals. The team then positioned themselves in the Nile Court where they gave out another four pairs of flip flops to grateful ladies. Here they met a couple from North Ayrshire who were interested in the work of Street pastors. The lady in particular, who took a leaflet and expressed an interest in joining. They also helped a young girl who was suffering the effects of alcohol. The team wrapped her in a foil blanket and with the help of a young lad also exiting the venue, ordered her a taxi and waited with her until it arrived to take her home. With no more incidents and everyone seemingly on their best behaviour, the team signed off at 2.40am. Thank you for your prayerful support.

14/09/2026

On Saturday 12th September Richard joined Linda and Susan C met up at Holy Trinity on a very pleasant night. After checking the equipment, and having a time of prayer the team made their way out. They met 3 people who had just finished their work. The lady thanked us for the number of occasions the Street Pastors had helped her and her friends. She still had the pr of flipflops she had received some years ago. They then made their way up to Burns Statue Sq which was quiet. Apparent everyone had departed 30 mins earlier. The few that remained were making their way to get some food having been out all day. Surprisingly all the take aways in Smith St were empty, one in particular had had a very quiet day. As the team made their way through the town there were very few people about so after touching base with the Taxi Marshals the team made their way to Prestwick. The top of the town was quiet as Vintage, Red lion and the Pioneer had already shut. However Gracie O’Malleys had a queue of people waiting to get in. As the team made their way down they dealt with 2 instances of broken glass. This was fortunate as a number of ladies who were walking down the pavement in their bare feet declined offers of flipflops. Later a number of flipflops were handed out. The Vic and the Vine was almost full. A bottle of water was handed over to someone who was not feeling well. A number of chats happened as the team made their way back up to towards the Buf which was not busy. It was noted that a lot of the people out and about in Prestwick were younger than normal. This was confirmed by the a member of the doorstaff at one of the premises who had confiscated at least 4 driving licences that were not being used by the holder. The team then returned to Ayr for some refreshments. The team then resumed and people were trickling out of Harleys. As they entered the Lorne Arcade they found the entrance covered in broken glass. The light is not good there so a few minutes were spent sweeping up the broken glass as there was a steady stream of people walking through it. After checking in with the taxi marshalls the team signed off at 2.45am. It was not one of the busiest nights in the term of people about, no doubt people saving themselves for next week’s gold Cup weekend. However there were a good number of good conversations. Thanks for the prayer support.

02/09/2026

On Saturday 29th August the rain didn't stop our team (the two Susans and Richard) from heading out into the night this weekend to care, listen, and help across Ayr and Prestwick.
Here is a little look at what our shift looked like:
We started the night by congratulating a lovely couple waiting for the bus who had just got married the day before!
While checking in with the new taxi marshals, we got to work sweeping up broken glass to keep people and vehicles safe. We also collected abandoned bottles across Ayr and Prestwick and returned stray glasses to the pubs.
When a fight broke out in the town centre, our team quickly alerted CCTV and the Police, who arrived promptly to handle the situation. We are so grateful for the teamwork between the public, door staff, taxi marshalls, and emergency services.
After getting a bit damp in the rain in Prestwick and having some great conversations, a hot drink and a biscuit back at the hall gave us the second wind we needed for a final sweep past Harleys.
To wrap up a busy night, one of our pastors even spotted her own son and his friends out enjoying themselves and made sure they all got a safe lift home!
Thank you for your continued prayers and support for our teams as they keep our streets safe. If you see us out next weekend, come say hello!

25/08/2026

On Saturday 22nd August Dawn and Caroline were joined by Richard at Holy Trinity. After checking the bags and a time of prayer the team made their way out on a dry and pleasant night. They made their way up to Burns Statue Sq where after touching base with the Twa Dugs they went to the bus stops where they met with one of the regulars There was also a lad from who was waiting to get the bus home until he received a message that he could have a lift home after Harleys shut so off he went to Harleys with a spring in his step. As the team made their way down the High St they met a couple who were having a weekend in Ayr and had just seen the Roy Orbison tribute concert in the Gaiety Theatre which had been tremendous. They were trying to get back to their accommodation. A taxi had been ordered but not appeared so the team walked them towards the taxi rank in Boswell Park. However at Nile Court a taxi dropped off some passengers and it transpired it was their taxi so they went on their way thanking the team for their assistance. In Arthur St there were a number of people outside Golf X. The team then made their way to Prestwick. On arrival they received a call to look out for a lady who was of concern to the Police, unfortunately they did not locate her. It was very interesting how the dynamics of the town had changed due to the Buf not being open. Vintage and Red Lion were already shut and the top half of the town was deserted. The team had a good chat with the 2 door staff at The Pioneer who, along with the rest of staff, were waiting for a table of patrons to finish their chatting so they could all go home. However the 2 door staff were then returning to Glasgow to continue working till 7am. Unsurprisingly Gracie O’Malleys had a good natured queue waiting to go inside. At The Burgh the team had a great chat with a member of staff. The Vic and the Vine was also busy but everyone was in good spirits. Had a good chat from a farmer who was going home to milk the cows before going to bed. They then came across another couple from the same village out enjoying Prestwick’s entertainment. The team then returned to Ayr for refreshments. On returning out Harleys were turning out. They met up with a man they had first seen at the Twa Dugs who was still out enjoying himself. Water was handed out to a couple of ladies who had had a very very good evening and were awaiting a taxi home. Another girl not in the best of states but fortunately had a friend who was in a position to make sure that they both got home safely. The team then made their way to the taxi rank to say goodbye to Thomas and Marie as it was their last night on duty. Thomas was relocating to Wales whilst Marie was retiring to concentrate on her other two jobs. They were both so committed to the important job they did in all weathers. It meant that those awaiting transport home got one with a yellow light on the top rather than a blue one. People come to the rank knowing it is a safe place to get a taxi home. We hope they both have their aspirations met in the future. The team then signed off at 2.45am after a quieter than normal, but nevertheless rewarding patrol. Thanks for your prayerful support

17/08/2026

The team on duty this Saturday consisted of Pauline, Graeme and Gwen. After a time of prayer they headed up to the top of the town and spent some time catching up with the door steward at Twa Dugs and some of the patrons there. Over at the bus stop they assisted a couple waiting on the bus to Patna and were concerned they had missed it. Further down the high street, the team were stopped by a lady asking for flip flops, it turns out she knew all about Street Pastors. The team then had a chat with a couple of younger girls who were carrying a bottle of buckfast and bottle of vodka between them. The pastors made sure the girls had a plan for getting home and explained a bit more about the role of a Street Pastor. After checking in with Harleys and the Taxi Marshalls, the team headed out to Prestwick.

Prestwick was a little busier and the pastors had some good conversations with door stewards and patrons alike. They picked up some bottles and glasses and provided flip flops. One group waiting on a taxi back to Forehill were very chatty and were keen to know what the Pastors were all about.

Back in Ayr, after a tea/coffee break, the team tried to diffuse a disagreement at the bus stop in Boswell Park which resulted in a bottle being smashed on the ground (which Graeme very kindly swept up with Gwen and Pauline pointing out the bits he missed!)

The team tried to help a lad sat in a doorway in Arthur Street looking worse for wear however he wasn’t very receptive, they checked on him later to find the same response however later on, from a distance, he was spotted getting up and walking away with no issues. Another fight broke out close by, with one side running away and the other side following in hot pursuit with some back up coming up behind. The team contacted CCTV to keep an eye out as the crowd appeared to run down Boswell Park towards the Sandgate. Things appeared to settle down and after trying to assist a girl who’d broken up with her boyfriend, the team signed off at 2.30am, very grateful for the prayerful support from the Duty Prayer Pastors and others.

09/08/2026

Saturday 1st August saw Stuart, Robbie and Lorna form the street pastor team for the night. They were joined by Chris and Gordon from Ascension Trust who oversee the street pastors initiatives and were keen to see how Ayrshire Street pastors went about their business. The team checked all their equipment and had a time of prayer. Before heading out the team checked in with the prayer pastor and with CCTV control. As they set off they found Ayr Town centre to be busier than usual. The team encountered two young boys who were floating around the High Street. The boys were not doing any harm, however given their young age, they said they were 15, and the lateness of the hour after 11pm, the Pastors wanted to check on them to ensure they were safe and well. The team had a good chat with the boys who spoke about their schooling and ambitions for the future. They appeared to have no great purpose for being in town other than ‘hanging out’ but assured the team their parents were aware where they were. As the team moved up the High Street, they encountered various groups who were keen to chat, one girl was struggling with her new shoes hurting her so the pastors were happy to oblige with a pair of flip flops. As the team reached the top of the town they met two ex-Northern Irish servicemen who come over to Scotland each year to meet with former colleagues and remember fallen comrades. The team spent a considerable amount of time chatting but mainly listening to one the men who was keen to tell stories about his time in the services, subsequent struggles and the traditions they honour in coming to Ayrshire every year. The town centre remained lively as the team returned to base before heading out to Prestwick, which was extremely busy due to PrestFest taking place over several venues. There were sore feet and over indulgence in abundance as the team handed out numerous pairs of flip flops, bottles of water and sick bags to weary revellers. Nevertheless, the atmosphere was lively and good natured with no obvious signs of trouble. As the pastors patrolled the streets, they encountered various groups of mostly young people, some of whom had questions about faith and Christianity, whilst others were keen to chat about their lives. The conversations were good natured and people were generally happy and thankful for the service the Street Pastors provide. Having exhausted their supplies the team returned to Ayr to stock up and for a quick tea break. Boosted by the power of a hot drink and chocolate biscuit, the team made their way to Nile Court where crowds were beginning to ‘tak the gate’, the team chatted with a few folks and handed out a few flip flops. In particular the pastors met a young man, we shall call him Tam. Like his namesake from the famous Burn’s poem he had spent a bit too long ‘sit(ing) bousing at the nappy, getting fou and unco’ happy’. Tam was struggling to walk and his friends were keen to get him to the taxi rank, the pastors took turns at supporting Tam, gently guiding and supporting him in the direction of the taxi rank, whilst Tam happily wondered around the street. Mustering all their skills of persuasion the team eventually help Tam and friends make it to the taxi rank. Having had a long, busy but productive night the team signed off at 3.15am.

27/07/2026

On Saturday 25th July Richard was joined by Caroline and Lorna. Caroline stated it was pouring in Ardrossan and it was hoped it would not spread south. As it turned out the team experienced drizzle all the night. After checking the equipment and a time of prayer the team made their way up to Burns Statue Sq. The team had a great talk with a number of the patrons of the Twa Dugs who were grateful for the team’s work. At the bus stop they met those waiting for the last buses, including a person who they had not seen for a number of weeks. After a catch up the last buses arrived and took everyone home. In Smith St the team came across a young lady who was being comforted by friends as she had just broken up with her boyfriend. She was very upset but cheered up after a few minutes deciding it was time to have some food so she left accompanied by her friends. The drizzle meant the High St and Nile Court were quiet. A 21st party at the Print Room was just finishing with the attendees adjourning to Harleys. Arthur St was busy with people in Golf X but everyone was good natured. After meeting with the taxi marshals the team made their way to Prestwick which was not any drier. The Red Lion still had a few customers drinking up. The Pioneer was still busy at 1215am. The Vic and the Vine was full and turning people away so the team made their way back up the Main St. A couple of pairs of flipflops and bottle of water were handed out on their way up. The Buf was busy with lots of people outside. The team spoke to a couple of lads from Carrick, out for the night, one studying medicine and the other an architect designing golf courses! The team then returned to Ayr for refreshments before doing a last circuit. Nile Court was busy. The team had an interesting conversation with a couple of men. One of the group were celebrating their birthday and remembered speaking to Richard some weeks earlier. The team interacted with a number who were out celebrating significant birthdays. There were a number of people waiting for taxis at the entrance to Nile Court. The team suggested they went round to Boswell Park where they knew taxis were waiting but they all declined as they had ordered taxis on their phones. Arthur St was empty and a taxi was waiting at the rank in Boswell Park.The team then signed off at 2.30am. Thanks for your prayers

19/07/2026

On Saturday 18th July the team of Mike, Dawn and Mark ventured out into the streets of Ayr after completing their equipment checks and having a time of prayer. The top of the town wasn’t busy with the venues there reporting only half full. The team headed down to the Nile Court where there was live music, but a chat with the door staff, revealed it was too early for Harley’s to be busy. The team continued to the bottom of the High Street, arriving at the Central Bar on New Bridge Street and discovering a young girl sitting on the pavement on the bridge. She told the team she had simply left home to go for a walk. No explanation was given as to why she was sitting there. Contact was made with her mum and as she was a minor (14 years) the team remained with her until her mum arrived. A group of young girls then chatted to the team as they made there way to a venue, thanking the team for the work they were doing before disappearing inside whilst the team continued on to check with the taxi marshals. Next it was on to Prestwick, but as the team were driving up Prestwick Main Street they saw a small crowd around someone lying on the pavement outside a venue. The team pulled over to investigate, just as the police arrived on scene. The lady in question appeared unhurt, but several attempts to get her to her feet were unsuccessful, so the decision was taken to leave her propped up until her transport arrived. The team gave her water and looked after her possessions. She was lifted when her friend’s husband arrived to take them home, with the team supplying a couple of sick bags for the journey. The team were then alerted by a passer-by to a young lady in distress in a shop doorway further up the street. They arrived to find a young lady arguing with a young man. The man said he was a friend of her boyfriend and that they were fine and didn’t need any help. He was trying to man handle the girl to a waiting car. However as the girl clearly didn’t want to go with him (she had a friend picking her up) the team had to intervene and warn the lad not to put hands on. He appreciated that they were looking out for the girl and left the scene. Another girl then approached and started shouting abuse at the first girl, but this was quickly defused by a member of the team. The team remained with the girl until her friend picked her up. During this exchange another reveller gratefully received a pair of flip-flops. Completing their patrol of Prestwick , the team removed several bottles and glasses, swept up a couple of broken bottles and gave out three further pairs of flip-flops. On returning to Ayr, the team had a well earned refreshment before going back out into the streets. Harley’s was beginning to empty out and it was here that the team met a couple who were visiting Ayr to check out the area for a possible relocation. The lady especially was not at peace, worrying about her sixteen year old son and in conflict over whether he would have a better life if they moved or if they remained in their present location. The team offered her prayer which she gratefully received. They thanked the team before asking for directions to their hotel. By now most people had moved off, with only a few remaining so the team checked in with the taxi marshals one last time and signed off at 2.50 am. Thanks for the prayer support

15/07/2026

On Saturday 11th July was everyone watching the football?
As most people seemed to be settling down to watch the football, Alastair, Susan & Val met to check over the equipment and to pray.
It was a mild evening, so the team were able to head out without jackets. As the team headed for Burns Statue Square they could see the TV in the bar of the Mercure Hotel
Norway 1 – England 0
The team radioed CCTV to let them know that the patrol had begun, and then got a call from the door staff at Harley’s about a young woman who was needing assistance, so the team headed straight for Nile Court.
The young woman we had been asked to help was very drunk, and had been sick. However, a friend had been called and arrived shortly after by car to take her home. The team then met a couple of girls at the top of Nile Court who were unable to contact the friends they were looking for as they had no charge on their phones, so the team were able to re-charge their phones for them. The team continued down the High Street and were chatting to the door staff and some customers at the Central Bar in New Bridge Street, and were given an update on the score
Norway 1 – England 1
The team then headed to Prestwick where most of the pubs seemed busy with people watching the football, but not so many outsides on the street. It was nearly full-time, with extra time looking likely. The team made their way down to The Golf, chatting to a few people on the way. Binned some glass & handed out two pairs of flip-flops.
By the time the team reached The Golf extra time had begun – and England scored again
Norway 1 – England 2
The team made a couple of circuits of the Main Street, chatting to people and being thanked by some of them for what the Street Pastors did, before heading back to the church hall for refreshments.
Only Harley’s was still open when the team resumed their patrol in Ayr. After talking to some of the people in Nile Court the team walked round to the Taxi Marshalls.
No-one was talking about the football anymore.
At the taxi rank there was a queue as there were very few taxis available, and the marshals were having to deal with a group of young men who seemed intent on creating trouble. The situation was resolved when one group left in a taxi, and the other lads walked away, The team then ended the patrol at around 2.30am Thanks for the prayerful support

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Fullerton Street
Ayr
KA71UB

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10:15pm - 3:30am

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