The work of The Salvation Army in Braintree
One of the most inspirational visits I’ve made in my constituency this year has been to The Salvation Army’s New Direction Lifehouse for homeless people in Bocking End. More than merely providing a bed for the night, New Direction offers a hand up and a fresh start for adults aged 18 and over who are often unfairly overlooked or stigmatised because they are homeless.
The name ‘Lifehouse’ was chosen to replace the term 'hostel' by homeless people themselves after a nationwide ballot by The Salvation Army. It’s fitting description for a centre that has been a place of refuge and support for countless numbers of homeless men and women since it opened in 2000.
It might surprise you to know that most people who come to a centre like New Direction do so because of relationship breakdown, not because of an addiction to drugs or alcohol. So it’s good to see residents are encouraged to develop their full potential by being involved with the day to day running of the centre; cooking meals, looking after the large garden and chairing regular residents committee meetings with the staff. With the help of the dedicated staff team, New Direction engages clients in basic skills training, work related activities and social engagement to help them take up work opportunities and sustain their own accommodation.
There’s additional support for young people 16-25 who need help with budgeting, personal relationships, and employment and skills training. The Braintree Foyer centre, run by The Salvation Army Housing Association (SAHA) is a firm believer in education, encouraging residents to study at the local College and to take part in the Duke of Edinburgh's Gold awards scheme.
Like The Salvation Army, I’m passionate about ensuring later-life is a time of fulfilment and enrichment for our nation's older generation, so I was pleased to discover The Salvation Army church in Braintree runs a lunch club for older people. The help continues on Christmas Day when the community church will serve Christmas dinner with all the trimmings to people who would otherwise be on their own on Christmas day, and will open a night shelter for people living on the streets in cold weather.
From young to old, in Braintree The Salvation Army caters for every generation. This wide-reaching commitment to offer unconditional friendship and practical support is shown by The Salvation Army across the nation, with support for families, older people, homeless and other marginalised people, treating everyone with dignity and respect. Their work includes providing firefighters, police, and other emergency services personnel with refreshments to keep them going, and being prepared to help people caught up in an incident. More than 10 people every day are reunited through The Salvation Army’s ‘family tracing' service.
The Salvation Army does all this without judging or condemning people and is grateful for the public’s support to be able to carry on doing this work. Please visit The Salvation Army’s website, www.salvationarmy.org.uk to see if you can support them as they help others. If you would like to donate to any local projects or centres, you can call Paul Garnham on 01245383018.
May I take this opportunity to wish everyone involved in the work of The Salvation Army and all my constituents a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.