Salvation Army seeks stories about how Booth’s fight goes on

OVER the Christmas and New Year period the Salvation Army handed out almost 35,000 food parcels to the homeless or vulnerable and to needy families who couldn’t afford to feed the children, in some cases because their benefits had been suspended. Forty thousand presents were also distributed by the charity to children whose parents had no money, and 17,500 hot meals were served to hungry older people.
By Sheena Hastings
Published 1st Feb 2012, 00:00 BST

A Salvation Army leader in Keighley reports that 526 food parcels were handed out to the homeless and those struggling to live on benefits during December.

“The debts of Christmas are catching up with people, so I expect more to come to us from now on. Our food bank and soup kitchen have been very busy,” she says. Doctors are also referring people lacking in basic nutrition, and some food parcels are requested by health visitors and schools who spot hungry children.

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Among the many works done by the Salvation Army, the Christian movement founded by William Booth in 1865 in the East End of London, is a free family tracing service. It receives 3,500 new inquiries a year and an average of 10 families are reunited every day, after separations that may have lasted decades.

The Salvation Army has become one of the largest providers of social services in this country, and although the message is Christian, the deeds are primarily about relieving suffering and showing “belief in action”, following the ethos of the founder, whose work was replicated by the Salvation Army around the world. In May, 1912, General William Booth gave a famous speech entitled I’ll Fight during his last appearance at The Royal Albert Hall.

There is no recording of the speech, but it has been used as a cornerstone of the charity’s work ever since. In it, he said: “While women weep, as they do now, I’ll fight; while little children go hungry, as they do now, I’ll fight; while men go to prison, as they do now – in and out, in and out – I’ll fight; while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor girl lost upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I’ll fight – I’ll fight to the very end.”

A hundred years after the speech, the Salvation Army is celebrating the anniversary with a major piece of oral history research by collecting the stories of people who have had a connection with the charity or have been helped by it in some way.

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The testimonies gathered will reflect how the charity has affected lives over the last century and a half.

“The Salvation Army has a long history of offering practical support to people who are vulnerable or in need,” says Yorkshire divisional leader Lieutenant Bill Heeley. “We regularly get people posting messages on Facebook and Twitter saying they remember what we did for their family at times of need, or how they remember listening to our bands at Christmas when they were children.

“If anyone has a story about their link to the Salvation Army we urge them to get in touch. It will help us to record the difference we have made to others and may even encourage people who need support now to come to us.”

Contributions will be amassed into an exhibition to be held at the Royal Albert Hall on May 26 and 27.

Those interested should email [email protected]

Related topics:DoctorsEast EndLondon