Chris Cole FRSA

St Francis of Assisi prayed this well-known prayer: "Lord make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred let me bring love, and where there is despair, hope". Hope is a key to countering some of the negativity and depression that affects so many today.

Most people genuinely want to make the world a better place. It is a hope deeply embedded in the human heart, and I believe it reflects the image of the God who created us all, who always hopes in us.

Hope is something that can inspire and give courage when we are facing tough tasks. Dr Martin Luther King Jnr, the leader of the non-violent civil rights movement in America, said this: If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all.
Plymouth certainly needs to start to hope again, and not just in the structural regeneration that is taking place all over the city. True hope rests in people, and people need social and spiritual hope as well as material provision.

Recently, South West Devon MP Gary Streeter, whose constituency includes Plympton and Plymstock said: "I have never seen so many cranes on our horizon. Add to this the plans for substantial growth, the creation of new jobs and business opportunities, the sense of momentum in the private sector and it all adds up to a very positive outlook for our city of great potential. New Plymouth step forward and take a shiny bow."

But he pointed to the problems associated with crime, family breakdown, addictions and anti-social behaviour to call for a social and spiritual regeneration of the city. ".I am beginning to wonder if we need to create a new plan for the social and spiritual fabric of our city. There has never been as much money thrown at the problem as in the last ten years, but who can honestly say that we have made much progress on these deep-seated issues?"

The good news is, there is hope, and it does work out practically. This year, the Christian church of all denominations is joining together across the UK in an initiative called Hope 08 (www.hope.net), as an expression of the hope and love of God shown by Jesus Christ, through acts of kindness and service by ordinary folk from diverse backgrounds, who all share the Christian faith. Keep your eyes and ears open and you will, hopefully, see the church in action helping to make Plymouth a better place.

And Street Pastors, another positive Christian initiative already reported in the Shopper, will see volunteers from local churches taking to the streets of Plymouth to help make the city safer late at night. The Street Pastors initiative will be launched in the Mutley and Greenbank areas from Easter.

Chief Supt Jim Webster, Plymouth police commander said: 'This project has our wholehearted and unconditional support. Statistics show that our streets are getting safer, but they don't always feel that way. I am really excited that Street Pastors and the Christian community want to leave their churches and take their faith onto the streets of Plymouth.

"Having people of goodwill, regardless of their religious beliefs, out on the streets to engage, care and listen, helps our streets feel safer. The safer our streets feel, the more people will walk out in them, creating a virtuous circle."

Councillor Vivien Pengelly, leader of Plymouth City Council said: "A few months ago I took part in a fact-finding visit to Union Street and it was frightening to see how many vulnerable young people and young girls were out in the streets.

"I couldn't sleep that night worrying about them. I fully support the Street Pastors initiative and the council will do everything it can to help the project: it is just what Plymouth needs."

Christianity offers a shining hope, not just of Heaven, but also of the values of heaven (peace, love, hope, faith, goodness and more) being physically outworked on our streets. Let's hope the ideas catch on and become embedded in the fabric of our wonderful city for many years to come.

For further information on Street Pastors call 01752 203346 or visit www.streetpastors.org.uk.

This article was originally published in the Plymouth Shopper, a group of 7 localised community newspapers produced by Cornerstone Vision, reaching 62,000 homes every month in Plymouth. Each edition carries positive news stories and features, and provides local businesses, community groups and organisations with a very localised media platform to reach their own area.