The Salvation Army UK and Ireland Territory

Most people don’t realise we work across so many different areas, but for over 150 years, we’ve been working to eradicate the cycles that perpetuate inequality, including: - Homelessness - Modern slavery / human trafficking - Poverty - Unemployment - Debt We also have services that support: - Older people - People who’ve experienced domestic abuse - Families - People who have a disability - Refugees Did you know we’re involved in all of this? Are there any areas of our work that you’re hearing about for the first time?

As chilly winter evenings continue into 2025, The Salvation Army in Gloucester is giving free hot meals to people who are homeless or vulnerable. During 2024 our local church: - Served 3,936 hot meals on Monday lunchtimes for vulnerable people - Distributed 292 sleeping bags and 277 duvets to people at risk of rough sleeping - Provided 2,267 supper bags for them Captain James Addis, our local church leader, says: “We are deeply concerned about the growing number of people facing homelessness...We just want to be there for people who are facing homelessness and try to bring joy and hope into people’s lives.” Find out more about how The Gloucester Salvation Army is welcoming vulnerable people in from the cold this winter: https://brnw.ch/21wQc4O

We’re thrilled to share how Welling Salvation Army has transformed its food bank into a community pantry, a model that offers greater dignity and choice to low-income families and individuals. The community pantry, which operates on Fridays, has over 50 members. For just £5, members can select a mix of higher-priced items (like meat and dairy), lower-priced essentials (like fresh produce and toiletries), and free items (including books and clothes). In addition to this innovative pantry, the church now offers a hot meal every Friday in its newly renovated kitchen. Each week, around 15 people stay for lunch, enjoying not just the food but also the warmth of connection and community. This initiative is supported by Church Action on Poverty through its ‘Your Local Pantry’ program. As Ellie Malhotra from Church Action on Poverty said, “Pantries are fantastic places that bring people together around food in dignified ways. They’re real places of hope.” Let’s celebrate this inspiring work that goes beyond food to offer dignity, hope, and connection, https://brnw.ch/21wQaBt

We launched our innovative pop-up accommodation (NAPpads) for people forced to sleep rough in Merseyside this winter. These pods provide somewhere warm and dry to stay for the night and are situated in the car park of our Salisbury House Lifehouse. The NAPpad, which is the first of its kind in the North West, contain four individual units equipped with a toilet, sink, heating, a bed, duvet and pillow, providing temporary accommodation to help people who are finding it difficult to get off the streets and into a safe living space. Described as portable ‘micro-flats’ that offer safety and comfort, each pad is fitted with innovative sensors that detect if someone stops breathing, giving responders vital minutes to save a life, with people who have been sleeping rough long-term often having complex health issues. Myles Chadwick, area operations manager for The Salvation Army’s Homelessness Services across Merseyside says: “The freezing weather we have experienced recently has exposed how hard life can be when living on the streets. Extreme weather can kill and the people we are supporting live complex lives and often have health issues. Our NAPpads are not designed to be a home but we are confident that they are a lifeline and with the innovative technology included, in some cases could also be a lifesaver.” Learn more about our innovative pop-up project: https://brnw.ch/21wQ8Yn

A heartfelt thank you to all our supporters for your steadfast support throughout 2024. Every donation, fundraiser, volunteer and petition signature has enabled us to be there for the most vulnerable people in communities across the UK and Ireland.

Our overnight winter shelter in Eastbourne was featured on BBC News Breakfast this morning. The Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) is triggered when the temperature drops to 0 degrees or below, meaning our winter shelters open to protect people who are rough sleeping from the freezing conditions. Major Ralph Walker, leader at The Salvation Army's Eastbourne Citadel, and volunteer cook, Pauline, have been busy supporting those who stayed in their emergency space overnight. (If you'd like to help, please consider making a donation to our Winter Appeal: https://lnkd.in/dY9_4_T )

We're providing emergency beds and outreach support, alongside councils and other organisations, to prevent people from dying of the cold on the streets. As part of the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP), we provide emergency beds at locations across England and Wales to help people, who would otherwise have to sleep on the streets, stay warm this winter. Our Deputy Director for Homelessness, Nathan Slinn, says: “In freezing temperatures, finding somewhere warm and safe to stay can be a matter of life or death for someone who is forced to live on the streets… Many of our community churches will also be opening their doors to offer a warm place to shelter from the cold as well as practical support such as hot food, clothing and a warm welcome.” (Note: While SWEP protocols don’t apply in Scotland, each council still makes its own emergency provision, with Salvation Army Lifehouse (hostel) spaces used by councils all year round as part of their emergency accommodation provision.) Learn more: https://brnw.ch/21wPSX5

A new optician service has launched at The Salvation Army's Bradford Lifehouse. 👓 Teaming up with Vision Care for Homeless People and Specsavers, the monthly service has provided free eye tests and glasses to 50 people who are homeless. Many of these individuals have struggled with poor eyesight their whole lives, often resorting to buying glasses from pound shops. Now, they can choose their own frames, which are delivered directly to the Day Shelter, removing barriers for many. One resident in his sixties, who had never had prescription glasses before, exclaimed, "I can see!" This service has been life-changing in boosting confidence and improving quality of life. Read more about this eye-opening service and how it's changing lives: https://brnw.ch/21wPRsO

A new optician service has launched at The Salvation Army's Bradford Lifehouse. 👓 Teaming up with Vision Care for Homeless People and Specsavers, the monthly service has provided free eye tests and glasses to 50 people who are homeless. Many of these individuals have struggled with poor eyesight their whole lives, often resorting to buying glasses from pound shops. Now, they can choose their own frames, which are delivered directly to the Day Shelter, removing barriers for many. One resident in his sixties, who had never had prescription glasses before, exclaimed, "I can see!" This service has been life-changing in boosting confidence and improving quality of life. Read more about this eye-opening service and how it's changing lives: https://brnw.ch/21wPRsO

Staff at Barclays Bank donated toys to our Christmas Present Appeal and lent a helping hand to Salvation Army churches in Basildon, Colchester and Harlow. After appealing to customers to support The Salvation Army’s Christmas Present Appeals in the county, Barclays UK staff delivered 460 toys to the churches whose leaders and volunteers distributed to them to families which children who would otherwise go without during the festive period. Major Timothy Justice, our church leader in Basildon said he is incredibly grateful for Barclays’ support. He received 120 gifts to pass on to children in families who have been referred by different agencies. “The donation from Barclays has made a massive difference,” he says, “The agencies who have collected toys so far to distribute to local families have been really grateful. A huge thank you to Barclays staff.” Learn more: https://brnw.ch/21wPPXd