THE TIRELESS work of kind-hearted volunteers in Billericay will be celebrated at a special event this weekend.

The 2019 Billericay Civic Service, organised by Churches Together in Billericay and Billericay Town Council, will see the efforts of churches and community groups in the town celebrated.

The event will see prayers held for the life of the Billericay community and its town councillors, as they pledge themselves to public service.

Billericay Street Pastors, a team made up of Christian volunteers from churches in the area, will be one of the groups represented at the service.

The group, based out of St Mary Magdalen church in the High Street, provide non-judgemental care and support to people using Billericay town centre, on Friday and Saturday nights.

Street Pastors chair Phil Norton said: “We continue to have the support of the council and they have really supported us, so we’re really thankful for that.

“It’s a good working relationship that we have.

“We’re based at St Mary’s and every Friday and Saturday we got out and talk and listen to anybody who’s out and about in the night-time economy that needs help.

“They may need help for all sorts of reasons and it’s a case of Christians using all of their life skills, not by judging but by just being there.

"We want to put out the good news that churches in Billericay are prepared to volunteer in our own time for no reward other than the personal satisfaction of helping others.”

This year’s Billericay Civic Service will be held at Billericay United Reformed Church this Sunday, at 3pm.

For more information on Street Pastors, email billericay@streetpastors.org.uk or visit the hub at St Mary Magdalen church on a Friday or Saturday night.