FOR two nights every week, students gather at a dark corner outside St Paul's Church in Cheltenham.
They are the St Paul's street watch wardens, and they have spent the last year working with the police to keep the streets of St Paul's safe.
The scheme has now been passed on from the police to both the students and the residents to run.
And the new organisers are appealing for funding and volunteers to come forward as they celebrate their first anniversary. They need the money because the responsibility for finding funding has passed to the local areas.
The students, from the University of Gloucestershire, and residents patrol the streets every Monday and Wednesday from 9.30pm.
First-year student Paul Yearley, 18, is now organising the scheme.
He said: "Mainly I wanted to do something within the local area while studying here.
"I live in St Paul's, and as I will be living here for the next three years, I wanted to get to know the area and to be some help. It might be known as a student area, but we know there are many residents who live here as well.
"We would like more residents and students to get involved in the scheme.
Insurance
"We also need to fundraise, for money which will be mainly used for insurance."
Resident Mike Willoughby has been working with the group since October.
He said: "The scheme does help to improve the relationship between residents and students within the street watch group." Police Sergeant Mark Stephens said: "In the past 12 months we have recorded impressive reductions in reports of anti-social behaviour in St Paul's.
"Complaints from residents have consistently fallen but confidence in the work of the police and the university has increased. We have regular liaison meetings involving the residents' association and the university and a group of students who are actively involved in the streetwatch patrols."
To get involved email streetwatchstpauls@gmail.com.
