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December 2016

The latest news from Salvation Army Trading Company

COMMUNICATIONMATTERSChristmas

Extravaganza!See our shops amazing

festive window displays inside!

Also in this Christmas issue of Communication Matters:A volunteer’s achievement • SP&S on the road • News from Glasgow, North East

and Eastern Counties • SATCOL Singers on tour • CCD collector’s heroic story Supporter products launch • Superstore update and much more!

Well done

Eveshamon your amazing

Christmas window

display!

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December 2016

As we enter the Christmas season

and look to the New Year, it’s

natural for us all to reflect on the year that has passed. At first glance, 2016 has been, for want of a better

phrase, a bit of a roller-coaster. It will probably go down in history as, politically, one of the most dramatic years, what with the Brexit vote

and more recently Donald Trump, casino billionaire, being elected as the next US President. Sometimes

I wonder just how the writers of future history text books will explain

all of this! Now, I’m not undermining the decisions of the public, nor am I going to express my own personal opinion, but whether you are for

or against these decisions, they are seismic events which will certainly impact on many people the world over.

Another thing for which it seems 2016 will be memorable is the

passing of so many celebrities. Not very cheery, I know, but this year we have lost David Bowie, Ronnie Corbett, Victoria Wood, Terry Wogan, Alan Rickman, Prince and Gene Wilder to name just a few. I’m sure you’ll have been particularly saddened by some of these. Add to

this the fact that, inevitably, some of us will have lost loved ones during the course of the year, or struggled with illness, or worried about family

circumstances...you can see why it’s easy to conclude that 2016 has not been an easy year.

Although things like the unexpected loss of celebrities or loved ones and political ‘surprises’ can shock and upset us all, I sense that these are things that we as a community have been through together. Throughout the year these issues have frequently

been the subject of discussion when meeting up with friends and family. Personal suffering aside, these are newsworthy issues and everyone

has an opinion that they want to

share. This emphasises to me how so often it’s the hard times that

bring people together.

Christmas is a time of being together. With the ones you love, with family and close friends. Even the act of sending Christmas cards is a way of reconnecting with people you may not see or speak to

very often. We share at Christmas, we give and receive. And most of us spend time in the company

of others. A lot of the time doing absolutely nothing apart from perhaps demolishing a chocolate orange (and later regretting it) and watching a Christmas film (Love Actually and Serendipity are Caffull household favourites – what’s

yours?). I’m sure you’ll all have your own traditions.

And it’s this togetherness that makes Christmas such a special time. As a Christian I believe that Jesus was brought into this world by God, and that his presence brought people together, and still does today. Although many of you will not share my faith, I believe that togetherness is important for everyone. In a business sense, if we do not work

together we will fail. Sometimes we can forget the importance of team work. When I look at our core values as a company, I believe they all promote and are improved by

teamwork. I came across an article online recently about togetherness in the workplace which is shared later on in this magazine. In life, when we stick together, difficulties we face become easier.

So I want to thank you all for sticking together, and encourage you to feel a part of your team and part of the

SATCoL family. Thank you for your hard work, and I look forward to travelling through 2017 with you all. Together.

Happy Christmas.

A Christmas Messagefrom Trevor Caffull

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December 2016

In November, all shops held their Christmas Extravaganza event. This is one of the biggest events of the year for our shops and, for some, is the perfect opportunity to get creative with their window displays. Here are some of the best we have seen....

A Christmas Extravaganza!

Ardwick

Evesham

Northampton

Swinton

Dinnington

Loughborough

Ryde

Warrington

Colchester

Lichfield

Maldon

Westbourne

Coventry

Morecambe

Sheffield Firth Park

Wilmslow

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December 2016

Bicester

Rutherglen

Aylesbury

Retail UpdateFor those of you who I have not met yet, my name is Tony Hosking, my background is 25 years in retailing followed by 15 years in Healthcare. I landed my dream job with SATCoL in October 2013 where my role until very recently has been to head our clothing collections but, from 8th

of November I have also assumed responsibility for the public face of our organisation - our 230 shops.

As part of my induction to my new role, I have recently visited a small number of shops and have been so

impressed by everyone I have met - our managers, staff and volunteers - your welcome, openness, dedication and enthusiasm has bowled me over.

From my initial discussions I have detected that we need to be more of a listening organisation, be more open to what others think and for

all of us to recognise that each and every one of us plays an equally

important role in making our business work effectively.

I have also met some very impressive entrepreneurs who

have used their special talents to deliver some fantastic projects and outstanding sales results. The whole charity shop concept (started in the 19th century by The Salvation Army) in this country was built on being creative and entrepreneurial. Who would have thought 20 years ago that today we would have more than 10,500 second hand (charity) shops with sales in excess of £1 billion on the UK’s high streets. With this level of competition we cannot be just another “me too”, we need to strive to be different by learning from each other to create a unique shopping experience for our customers in each of our locations.

I have seen some great examples of how you work together to move the

right stock to the right location and then sell it at the right price.

I am really looking forward to working with you all.

Have a great Christmas and New Year.

On 28th September we saw the

opening of our shop in Aylesbury. Majors Iain Hudson and Wayne Adcock conducted the ceremony and welcomed the huge crowd that gathered. It was a very successful first day of trading.

Just two days later on 30th

September, our shop in Bicester opened its doors. Once again Major Ian Hudson was in attendance and Captains Will and Debbie Pearson from the local corps also attended during the day, both thrilled with the store and very impressed with the

turn out. They are keen to support the store as much as they can. Shop Manager Dawn Horne and her Sales Assistant Gisellea Donnelly and the rest of the team are looking forward to the challenges ahead.

On 18th October, our shops in both Tamworth and High Wycombe were opened. The opening of Tamworth has seen the promotion of Denise Fawkes from Sales Assistant to Shop

Manager, while at High Wycombe Tomasz Kaczmarek started as a Sales Assistant and has also now

been promoted to Manager. Both shops have had a great first few months of trading.

On 25th October, in the Rutherglen Exchange Shopping Centre, our newest shop was opened. New shop

manager Anita Hughes said, ‘I’m really excited to be managing this shop. We have fabulous product available at great prices and I have high hopes for the shop. The team here are really looking forward to being part of the local community.’

New Shop Openings

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December 2016

Salvation Army Shops support Care Home Project

A Super UpdateNick Morton, Superstore Project Manager and Head of Development reports;

It may be news to many that The Salvation Army operates 13 care homes across the UK. One of these care homes is Youell Court in Coventry, which provides residential care for up to 40 people, many of whom are living with dementia. The home provides specialised support, with organised activities during the week as well as allowing the residents to have the freedom

to choose what they do on a day to day basis.

The Butterfly Project is a new initiative launched at Youell Court as part of this specialist care. The project involves creating a lounge of nostalgia filled with everyday items from past and present day.

The room will be a therapeutic and calming environment, encouraging

the users to actively engage in memory recall. Evoking fond memories can encourage residents to discuss their memories together and can ease the confusion caused by dementia.

The Salvation Army shops in Coventry, Nuneaton, Leamington Spa and Dudley are also part of this project, asking for donations specifically for The Butterfly Project. A memory list has been put together, made up of items that would work

particularly well within the lounge, keeping the residents who will use it in mind. Items include typewriters, tea sets and tools for those who

used these items on a daily basis in

their past.

The project has been coordinated

by Elaine Cobb, Director of Older People’s Services for The Salvation Army UK. Elaine said ‘We are really pleased to be introducing The Butterfly Project at Youell Court. We are relying on donations so that the environment can be as helpful as possible to them and we are thrilled

to have the shops on board.’

The project is just one of the ways Salvation Army Charity Shops are

looking to support the work of The Salvation Army in a more direct way.

For a full memory list or to make a

donation, please visit in store. You

can find more information on the Salvation Army Trading Company website;

www.salvationarmytrading.org

A journey into tomorrow! Part IISometimes things don’t go according to plan! In the last edition of Communication Matters I said that we were going to miss our August completion deadline for our Northampton Superstore, which would have seen us trading at the end of November. Instead, we are coming to terms with a further delay meaning the earliest we will take possession of the store will be

around mid-December.

So, why the delay? During our thorough surveying of the store we became aware of asbestos, a hazardous material, that has to be removed. But not before a

comprehensive survey had been undertaken to assess the full extent

of the problem. Surveys have been

completed and we are moving forward with all haste to complete

the acquisition which will see work commencing in early January to remove the asbestos from the store.

This work will take approximately six weeks and must be done before

the shop fit out work begins.

So, we are heading now towards a May 2017 opening. In the

meantime, Store General Manager Jayne Sargeant continues to prepare stock - it is such tiring work (preparing 7000 units of clothing) that I recently found her taking a ‘nap’, although she loves the clothes so much there is a theory that she was simply guarding her ‘treasure’!

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December 2016

Glasgow - An Integrated Army News from Glasgow, an update from Denise WatersonOver the last year, The Salvation Army leader for the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, Commissioner Clive Adams, has introduced the Territory’s TIDE strategy. This stands for Transformation / Integration / Discipleship / Effectiveness.

For us in Glasgow, the notion of integration has always been central to the way that we work. This means we ensure the charity shop, the corps (local church) and our Lifehouses (hostels) have opportunities to meet each other and work together to serve Glasgow.

Six years ago, Captains Matt and Sarah were appointed as Corps Officers (Ministers) to Glasgow City Centre Corps, based in Anderston. Over that time, the already

established relationship between the corps and the Dumbarton Road shop has developed and has been mutually beneficial to the ongoing mission of The Salvation Army in Glasgow.

Over recent years the relationship has seen a number of examples of partnership working.

Firstly, Glasgow City Centre Corps have long supported the Lifehouses through chaplaincy and practical support. As this developed, the corps started an initiative to bring everyone together through quiz nights. This now sees 5 Lifehouses from across the city enter teams to compete against teams from the charity shop and the corps. By moving the host venue around, the shop staff have benefitted from being able to set foot in the Lifehouses, meet the residents and gain a greater understanding of how The Salvation Army serves the homeless community in the city.

Secondly, the Dumbarton Road shop team assist the corps in the local ministry. This is demonstrated through the provision of items highlighted as ‘in need’ by the corps. This could be clothes, toys or furniture items.

At Christmas time, the shop also offers a driver and a van to help deliver Christmas presents to those in need.

The most recent development of our working relationship has seen the corps officer, Captain Matt Butler, join the Dumbarton road team. Matt spends Thursday mornings in the shop, providing a chaplaincy presence in the shop as well as offering the practical support to the staff. Matt helps to unload the vans, build and move furniture,

tidy the shop etc, whilst making himself available to both staff and customers alike.

Matt’s presence has really helped to deepen the working relationship between the shop and the corps and we are

excited about how we are going to further serve those in need within the city centre of Glasgow. We are proud to be building a healthy, integrated ministry and believe that we are demonstrating that all elements of Salvation Army can be brought together and work as ‘one Army’.

The Corps have said ‘We are grateful to management and staff at Dumbarton Road for their intentional desire to work together and our prayer is that more lives will be transformed and the effectiveness of our ministry will be enhanced through this partnership working.’

Event News

Glasgow is always looking at different events to hold. In the past we have held

Shabby Chic, Designer and Upcycled Goods days, but recently for the first time we tried out a Homeware day. Items we collected for this event were

all great quality and would have originally been quite expensive

so we titled the day

‘Second Hand, not

Captain Matt Butler

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December 2016

Second Best’. We collected quality towels, duvet sets, sheets, and good quality ornaments, candles, etc. We had Ralph Lauren pillows, Designer Guild Duvet sets, designer towels and mirrors donated from show homes.

Beckie did an excellent job in merchandising the window, and customers’ comments were very positive. Many customers thought the items were brand new.

Although we felt positive about the day and the products we had on offer, we felt slightly unsure as we hadn’t held a homeware event before. The first customer arrived at 7am, and when we opened at 10am there was a large queue. It was a great success with sales of over £7,200 on the day. We now check every label on towels, sheets and throws to prepare for the next one!

We also recently held a Collectables event, offering lots of collectable items that we’d saved up. Our customers loved the old cameras. Some dated back to 1849 and were in great condition.

This is Callum who, along with his mum and brother, queued patiently outside for our Collectables event to purchase a chess set he had his eye on for weeks. Seeing how excited he was to get it made everyone’s day.

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December 2016

News from the North EastAn update from Anthony Cummings

“Holly and Ivy” at Byker Shop.

Our two favourite Christmas card ladies, Holly and Ivy, paid a surprise visit to our Byker shop in Newcastle upon Tyne and stayed to help with their Christmas extravaganza! The ladies volunteered to help merchandise the shop and served on the till and also helped the customers to get into the Christmas spirit. They were available for autographs and talked about their famous roles as the stars of The Salvation Army Christmas Cards. Thank you Holly and Ivy!

Holly and Ivy (Linda McMaster sales assistant, on left, and Susan Killala,

Manager on right)

North East Christmas Extravaganzas

This month saw the annual Christmas Extravaganzas being held by all shops and what a fantastic event this turned out to be this year!

The shops had saved a huge amount of Christmas related product: jumpers, sparkly dresses and tops, gift sets, jewellery, toys, games, books, decorations and more! All shops looked fantastic and the atmosphere was really festive with the staff and volunteers getting into the swing of things wearing fancy dress, Christmas jumpers and hats.

The events were extremely well supported by customers, with some so eager they queued outside to make sure they could grab a bargain. Sales across the area were boosted by the events and in particular, our shop in Stanley took over £1100 in one day! They had saved so many gift-sets it looked like a branch of Superdrug!

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December 2016

As a company we are always looking to improve sales and the Christmas extravaganzas are a way to give the shops an extra push, but we should always remember

why we do it and who we do it for, especially at this time of year.

It is good to know that the hard-work put into the events by the shop teams will reap the benefit of a lot of extra money raised, which in turn will go to help vulnerable people supported by The Salvation Army.

My thanks go to all my managers, staff and volunteers who have worked so hard, not just on the Christmas events, but all year round. You do a fantastic job and should be very proud.

Bishop Auckland shop gets creative!

The newest manager to the North East team is Caroline Laskey, who, when not running the Bishop Auckland shop, is busy being a bit of a creative genius! She is passionate about recycling and up-cycling and regularly creates gifts out of odd cups and saucers, plates, books etc turning them into ornaments, pin cushions and cake stands. She even has orders from customers and volunteers, and all proceeds she makes go to the shop. Here are some pictures of her creations. The transformation is amazing and showcases her talent brilliantly. Well done, Caroline!

Congratulations!

Huge congratulations to Debbie Richards (nee. Stoneham) manager of the Durham shop, who went on holiday in October and came back married to Allan her long-term partner!

Debbie planned the holiday a year ago, and whilst there decided to take the plunge. Paperwork was sent over from the UK the day before, and after a beautiful

ceremony on a pier on the beach on Runaway Bay in Jamaica they rang their families and friends and told them the good news.

Coincidentally, Kirsty, the assistant manager at Durham, was married at the same hotel several years ago!

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December 2016

Shop Birthdays

In November we celebrated two shops’ birthdays. Kettering and Huntingdon both opened their doors in November last year, and both have since had a successful first year of trading. Kettering, which is cluster-managed by Gemma Brierely (who also manages Wellingborough shop) saw an addition of a bridal wear section in May which has been very successful so far. Shop Assistants Luke and Sally are working very hard alongside Gemma to make this a success. Huntingdon was opened as the first shop to be part of a 3 way cluster, under the management of Julie Jordan who also manages both St Neots and St Ives. As always it has been a challenge to recruit volunteers with new shops, but both have been supported greatly by shop staff.

Happy birthday to both shops – we look forward to seeing what’s ahead of you in your second year.

Thank You

A special thanks to Jackie who will be moving on to her new adventure in the new Superstore at Northampton.

You have been wonderful to work with and you will be

missed.

High Wycombe Opening

The Salvation Army has opened their newest charity shop on White Hart Street in High Wycombe. A crowd gathered on the morning of Tuesday 18th October to witness the ceremonial cutting of the ribbon, before rummaging through the rails and shelves to grab a bargain. The ceremony was led by Major Ray Brown, Divisional Commander, from The Salvation Army Central South DHQ, cutting the ribbon and saying a prayer for all. High Wycombe is number 230 in the growing family of Salvation Army shops across the UK.

The newest member of staff Thomasz Kaczmarek is looking forward to the challenge ahead saying; ‘I’m excited to take on the task of managing this shop. I love The Salvation Army and think the work they do is excellent so I’m very proud to be part of it.’ Thom, who actually lives next door to the shop, started life with The Salvation Army as a Sales Assistant but has done so well

in his first month standing in and running the shop that both Regional Manager and Area Manager have decided that he earned his place as a shop manager within the business. Thom worked very hard and kept the shop open with very little in the way of staff hours so our thanks go out to him for his hard work.

The shop set up team were manager Jacqui McCabe, sales assistant Michael Sanderson, manager Julie Jordan, manager Clinton Burn, and sales assistant Christine Collyer. My thanks go out to all of them for their hard work, especially to Jacqui who took charge of the team and helped with training Thomasz, supported with the help of Christine. Thomasz said ‘Jacqui has been a tremendous support and is always at the end of the

phone.’

Jacqui continues to support Thom, and she and her fellow team mates are an asset to the business.

Welcome to the SATCoL family, Thom.

Books at Dawn

Clinton Burn, Shop Manager at Bedford, celebrates a member of his team:

When I began as Manager in Bedford, I have to admit I was nervous as to what was ahead of me. However, on arrival I found there was an amazing group of girls here that had been here since what I could only assume was the beginning of time! Together they kept the shop going without a manager and when I started they greeted me with a great deal of support and excitement. One lady in particular looked after a large portion of the shop.

News from the Eastern CountiesAn update from Elaine Sanderson

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December 2016

Bridal Wear Update

Dawn was affectionately nicknamed the book lady and she is the person who

is almost single-handedly maintaining the second floor of our shop, which is dedicated to the selling of books. This floor alone is capable of earning us the equivalent of a Saturday’s

takings in just book sales, and Dawn is the muscle of the operation (don’t let her size deceive you - I’ve seen the size of the boxes of books she can lift!).

In my time here so far, Dawn and I have had many discussions about how to improve and make the most of what we have here, and we’ve had many laughs trying to decide how to execute our ideas. But I think Dawn would agree that our biggest achievement was the books we discovered in amongst our donations which ended up making us £700 in a book auction. The auction items consisted of (among others) a complete set of “The Letters Of Charles Dickens” and a copy of “The Parables Of Our Lord” which was dated 1845. Dawn worked very closely with the auctioneers and helped put the lot together with them during their many visits to the shop. With her eagle eye looking through customers donations searching for buried treasure I think she achieved a great victory for the store.

Thank you Dawn.

Romaine’ Story

Romaine is 22 and is a volunteer in our Colchester shop. Since being born she has grown up with and around sign language, both her Mum and Dad being deaf. Because of this she is able to sign. As a child she

watched her Mum and Stepdad (who is hearing and went to college to learn sign language) communicating and signing and would often ask what certain signs meant which is how she managed to pick it up. At the moment, she is in touch with the RAD (Royal Association for Deaf People) hoping to volunteer her time to help

the deaf/hard of hearing. She loves to help people, and volunteers in the shop Wednesdays and Fridays, helping any customers who are hard of hearing, signing and interpreting for them.

Since being involved in a serious car accident, Romaine has had problems with her memory. Volunteering at the shop has helped her to organise her life better, and gives her some consistency and purpose. She is a great help to everyone at the shop and was nominated for

volunteer of the year last year.

Well done Romaine. Thank you for your hard work.

Real Estate in Wellingborough

Early September, Wellingborough shop received a donation from a lovely family who were having a good clear out. In amongst this donation was a lovely wooden dolls house that came equipped with furniture, both wooden and porcelain, and porcelain dolls.

As Wellingborough is a Value shop, Manager Gemma couldn’t sell the item (as items in a Value shop are all priced at £3 and under). After discussions between Elaine and Gemma, it was decided that the best option would be to take it to a local auction. After getting in touch with them they came to have a look at the doll’s house and valued it at £30- £50. It didn’t sell straight away at auction, but it has now finally sold for £32.00.

Do you remember the bridal range we launched in our Kettering shop in July? Since then Shop Manager Gemma and the team have

managed to sell 9 dresses which is a

great sale rate for these high priced items! There has also been a lot of interest in the bridesmaid dresses.

Well done to the team for a great success so far!

Dawn with Manager Clinton Burn

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December 2016

Budding RelationshipsAn update from Kirk BradleyThis quarter saw the arrival of 13 pallets of new Umbro sportswear

with a further 6 pallets to follow,

these items came direct from Umbro and hopefully this is the

start of a new partnership between

our two companies. These items are currently being de-tagged and will be sent to the retail shops.

As mentioned in previous

communication matters we have been working with Lloyds Banking Group on a reuse programme for their old uniforms. Much of the used items have now been exported via

the Kettering warehouse however the new items mainly suits skirts

and trousers have been sent out to

our shops.

Asda kindly donated 34 pallets of toys and games, some of which were sent directly to The Salvation Army for their kids appeal.

Our relationship with the prison

service continues, items with logos can be sent here for de-branding by the prisoners, giving them valuable skills and work. We have recently taken delivery of 6 pallets of Ocado fleece jackets which the prisoners had over labelled removing the company brand but enabling the garment to be reused.

Our team are continuing to forge new relationship, recent wins including furniture from Costa Coffee and 28 pallets of Ladies clothing from the online retailer JD Williams. In 2017 we plan to develop further our current relationship and pushing for new corporate client who are able to donate items for

resell in our shops.

Earlier this year, the Clothing Collection team were contacted by a couple, Mr and Mrs Anderson from Halifax, with an enquiry they had not received before. They wanted to donate their car! Tony Anderson expressed that, due to their age, they felt it was time they let one of

their cars go, and wanted it to go to a good cause. The Salvation Army was their first choice for receiving the generous donation, and we accepted it gratefully. Plans are now in place to make the most of this opportunity and raise money

for the charity. Zoe Cleaver, who took the enquiry, has expressed her

gratitude on behalf of SATCoL and hopes for more exciting donations like this in the future.

A Drive for Donations!

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December 2016

Clothing Collector Hero

The Results Are In…

On 5th October the Clothing bank collector Paul Pearce went to do his usual Wednesday collection at The Mall in Ealing. On arrival he noticed that the contents of the Variety Club Shoe bank had been emptied all

over the path. It was early in the morning and was still dark outside but Paul began clearing up the mess working his way towards The Salvation Army Bank. As Paul got closer to the bank he had a fright when he spotted a person lying on the path. When Paul felt for a pulse he realised the man was freezing cold and his eyes were wide open, he feared the worst but after getting a torch from his van and shining it on the man his eyes began to move and Paul realised he was unconscious.

Paul called an ambulance and stayed with the man whilst trying to reassure him until it arrived. When the paramedic arrived he said that the man’s pulse was very weak and

he may have hypothermia, he gave him an injection which seemed to bring him round a bit more and shortly after the ambulance took him away to the hospital. After

Paul’s heroics he found that the battery on his van had died due to

shining his lights on the man so that the paramedic could see properly. So he finally got on his way once the AA had been, and was able to

complete his bank run knowing he had possibly saved a life on that

dark October’s morning.

The Clothing Collection Division returned an impressive audit score recently, with the following results:

Transport Operations - 95%

Kettering Warehouse - 86%

Kettering Administration - 84%

Average Clothing Collector Score - 86%

Average Clothing Bank Score - 84%

Clothing Collection Division Average - 79%A big well done to all of those involved in making the above results possible!

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December 2016

Gift Aid - how are we doing?Gift Aid Manager, Jamie Petrie, gives us an update on how the company are doing with Gift Aid.

We are currently tracking at 20.4% of sales coming from Gift-Aided donations. This is a big improvement on last year, and shows we are close to achieving our target of 22%.

This year to date, we have achieved a claimable amount of £506,206.47. That is over half a MILLION pounds that we wouldn’t have received without Gift Aid!

This money could provide 84,367 homeless people with a bed for

a night. It could give 92,037 lonely older people a Christmas lunch. It could give 8,099 counselling sessions to those who have been

trafficked.

There are currently 94 shops that are achieving or beating their gift aid targets.

Well done to all those shops that

are doing all they can to improve their Gift Aid figures. It is very encouraging to see these numbers which is proof of your hard work. I want to encourage those shops that are not achieving their target to evaluate why this may be the case and then make changes to improve. All shops have received a new gift aid poster, information booklet,

leaflets and stock room posters and should be making use of the tally chart to help motivate their staff.

No matter what we do, Gift Aid is and

always will be reliant on PEOPLE. If your shop team is not enthusiastic about Gift Aid, does not understand

the importance of it, or do not talk to customers and donors about Gift Aid, you will not succeed.

We must remember that people donate to us because they care about the causes of The Salvation Army and want to help. Gift Aid

allows them to help even more, and

their donation to go further.

Do not forget that Gift Aid can increase your shop sales by 25% and there is nothing you could do in your shops that could have this effect so easily.

We challenge you to achieve your Gift Aid target by the end of the financial year. Remember that nothing is stopping you achieving this and it is down to you and your shop team to

know what your target is and why it is so important. You will come across your own challenges and problems when trying to achieve your target, but these are always possible to overcome. If you are struggling and are not sure why, ask your Area Manager to help identify and overcome your hurdles.

All in all, although our targets are not quite being achieved I am very positive about the improvement we

have seen in the last year and truly

believe that each and every shop can and will achieve their target.

This year to date we have raised;

£506,206.47

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December 2016

Donation Centre Officially OpensThe Salvation Army have opened

their first Donation Centre, a building with the specific purpose of collecting donations from the public to sell in their charity shops both locally and across the UK. The Donation Centre, which had its official opening ceremony in November, was born from the need

of more donations to stock The Salvation Army’s chain of charity shops with the thought being that an out-of-town and purpose built

centre is more convenient than a small shop in the centre of town. The Salvation Army hope that this new centre will see a great increase in donations, together with a greater breadth including furniture and other household items.

“I am very proud to be part of this new format Donation Centre which will combine the ease of dropping off at one of our clothing banks with the friendliness of a charity shop,” said Dennis Hill, Donation Centre Manager. “I believe our new concept will help us make progress on our social, environmental and economic goals, all of which benefit the good causes we support.”

The old Blockbusters on Dudley Street is a great site for the new centre, the location being a key factor in the function of the building. Dennis says “The convenience of free parking and the ability to pull up outside the front will make it

easy for everyone wanting to do some good with their unwanted items.” The easy access centre also provides a handy pick up service, so if you can’t fit your three-piece-suite into the back of your hatchback, a pick up can be organised at a time and place convenient for you.

There is also a small charity shop on site which will be selling a selection of the donations that aren’t sent

to other shops. Dennis added, “We know from feedback that donors appreciate their generosity benefitting the local community which, for us, is here within the West Midlands and we are pleased we can support this aspiration.” Not only will this new initiative

encourage the public to donate their unwanted items to a good cause, but will also give them the opportunity to volunteer. Dennis added “One of the great things about our location, size and the variety of different activities we have on a daily basis is that we can welcome a large number of volunteers who want to give up their time and be a

part of something special, all within a great team environment. I’m very excited at the prospect of managing this new pioneering concept for The Salvation Army in West Bromwich.”If you’d like to pay a visit, The Salvation Army Donation Centre is located at 69 Dudley Street, West Bromwich B70 9RL and is open Monday – Saturday 9-5. There are also two donation banks on site

with 24 hour access. For further enquiries please ask in store or call 0121 713 1960

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December 2016

Tea time!

Wordsearch

Sudoku

We’d like to present the new design for our Salvation

Army Tea! We are currently in conversations with various Supermarkets and are making plans to supply them with our tea. It will also be available in this new packaging in our shops and online at www.sps-shop.co.uk

W X S P O R U R I S P B D J Z Y E A K S M Q M U U W I A G T T B L I Q R U P X H A P N N S I O V L X S E L I T X E T W K R N A N I R H E F D O N A T E A N T C S N O I T C E L L O C H E I T I O G T E N E S D I L C T O C N I E B R L U E W S O L R N J S T D L O O D L M S T E Q I S S A R B C R M R O X H U K S W P V G L Y Y O B Y V I L U T O O L K I T N C U O R N A A H C B A P B G V R E G N G V S O V T S M R B I M F R H E B O U T I Q U E B N W A R M Y

ARMYBANKBONNETBOUTIQUEBRASSCHARITYCLOTHINGCOLLECTIONDONATEGIFTAIDMUSICRECYCLESALVATIONSALVATIONISTSHIELDSHOPSUPERSTORETEXTILESTROMBONEVALUEVOLUNTEERWELLINGBOROUGH

ARMYBANKBONNETBOUTIQUEBRASSCHARITYCLOTHINGCOLLECTIONDONATEGIFTAIDMUSICRECYCLE

SALVATIONSALVATIONISTSHIELDSHOPSUPERSTORETEXTILESTROMBONEVALUEVOLUNTEERWELLINGBOROUGHWIGIG

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December 2016

C h r i s t m a s

FactsSpot the Difference Can you find all 20?

1. Speedy SantaUS scientists calculated that Santa would have to visit 822 homes a second to deliver all the world’s presents on Christmas

Eve, travelling at 650 miles a second.2. RobinsROBINS on cards were a joke 150 years ago when postmen wore red tunics and were named after them.

3. Mince PiesALTHOUGH now mostly vegetarian, in Victorian times, mince pies were made with beef and spices.4. TangerinesTHE tradition of putting tangerines in stockings comes from 12th-century French nuns who left socks full of fruit, nuts and tangerines at the houses of the poor.

5. Three Wise Men?DESPITE the tale of three wise men paying homage to baby Jesus, the Bible never gives a number. Matthew’s Gospel

refers to merely “wise men”.6. WassailingCAROLS began as an old English custom called wassailing, toasting neighbours to a long life.

7. CarolsCAROLS weren’t sung in churches until they were introduced by St Francis of Assisi in the 13th century.8. StockingsHANGING stockings out comes from the Dutch custom of leaving shoes packed with food for St Nicholas’ donkeys. He would leave small gifts in return.9. Angels Singing?THERE is no reference to angels singing anywhere in the Bible.

10. Christmas TreesNEARLY 60 million Christmas trees are grown each year in Europe.

18

December 2016

Christmas is here for The Salvation ArmyIt’s common knowledge that Christmas comes early in the retail world, what with supermarkets selling wrapping paper and mince pies from September and garden centres getting out their Christmas trees at the first sign of frost. So as a retailer we have to keep up with these trends and traditions.

In September we brought out our range of Christmas cards in our charity shops. The cards are a fantastic range of beautiful, creative and quirky cards, many of which are based on the theme of the ‘Salvation Army Christmas’ – evening church services and brass ensembles playing carols in the snow. Is this really what a Salvation Army Christmas is? It’s certainly part of it; the bitter cold carolling sessions in the town centre are no myth. But as you’d imagine, there’s a lot more to it.

It’s one of the busiest times for The Salvation Army, with cold temperatures and sometimes treacherous weather conditions making the issues they would usually deal with even harder. At this time, it’s all the more important

that homeless people are offered a bed for the night and it’s all the more vital that families living in poverty don’t have to choose between heating and eating. So, at this time, the money donated is all the more valuable. Just £6.00 can give a homeless person a bed for the night. £5.50 could pay for a lonely older person’s Christmas day lunch.

When you visit a charity shop this season, you will not only get great value for money and find those one-off items you couldn’t get anywhere else. You will also see our great range of new products which have been selected just for you. Our Christmas campaign will be there to remind you that this season, when you shop

with us, you are giving a gift.

A GIFT OF: Love – reuniting families.The Salvation Army helps those who are estranged and those seeking an estranged family member to be reunited. They bring together more than 2000 families each year.

Joy – striving for worldwide equality. The Salvation Army’s International Development Office runs campaigns and projects to raise funds and awareness and provide resources empower and support developing communities to defeat poverty and injustice. Hope – providing services to those experiencing homelessness. The Salvation Army meets the immediate needs of people sleeping on the streets and looks to provide them with what they need to get them off the streets. Support – providing facilities to help those suffering with addiction.Specialist detox centres, rehabilitation and support programmes are run by The Salvation Army to facilitate recovery and social integration for those suffering with addictions.Care – operating care homes across the UK.The Salvation Army looks to provide a journey in later life. 13 care homes are run throughout the UK giving specialist care and support for older people, many of whom have some form of dementia.

Life – providing safe shelter for vulnerable people. The Salvation Army is committed to supporting victims of modern slavery. There are over 80 safe houses across the UK which take in and care for vulnerable people, and practical and psychological help is given to those who have been trafficked.

The tags in our shop windows and the campaign cards placed around the shop are carrying this message, encouraging our customers to give generously at this time.

Of course, the Christmas campaign is also there to make the shops look brighter, to engage people and to look pretty and seasonal. But behind the campaign, and all our campaigns, is one clear message: the work of The Salvation Army and how important it is. If you have any questions regarding the campaigns please contact the Marketing Department at marketing@satcol.org

I hope this year you will visit a charity shop and be reminded of this, and that you feel you can give generously. After all, it’s Christmas.

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December 2016

Do you feel good when you shop? When you shop with The Salvation Army, you should! #feelgoodshopping is a reminder that when you shop with us, the money you spend goes straight to supporting the causes of The Salvation Army, and that’s something you should feel good about.

We have introduced this hashtag to encourage those who shop with us to spread the word! If you make a purchase from one of our shops, make sure to take a photo and put it on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter with #feelgoodshopping

Welcome to the team

Katy Hartwell - HR Assistant

I am delighted to have joined the HR team at SATCoL and my first few months have been very busy

and exciting! I have been meeting as many people as I can, and visiting some of the shops too. My previous background was within an HR team for a national childcare company so getting myself used to the charity retail sector has been very interesting and am sure will be a fabulous learning curve. I am looking forward to the upcoming months with the company, getting stuck in with all the projects and familiarising myself with everybody.

Chris Bentley - Area Representative

My work background is retail based having worked for Safeway and then Morrisons for just over 16 years, covering various management positions during that time in areas such as Administration, Cash Management and Compliance. I look forward to using my skills and experience from these roles in my new position as Field Supervisor.

When not working I enjoy spending time with my family and am kept

busy by my 2 children Isabel (7) and Oliver (4). I also enjoy watching and playing football. I follow my local team Northampton Town and try to go to as many games as possible.

Jacqui King - Help Desk Adviser

My name is Jacqui, I’m from Wellingborough and I live with my fiancé Tom, my daughter Sasha (who used to work for SATCoL, before she left to go globe trotting) and my fur baby Molly who is a boxer of the grand age of 13.I am really enjoying working for SATCoL, I get great satisfaction when assisting and advising customers on the help desk.

In my new role, I look forward to continually providing SATCoL customers with a great customer service experience. And to be able to learn and progress as a help desk advisor with the help from my awesome colleagues. In my pastime I enjoy catching up with friends, long walks with Mollymoo and weekend breaks away when I can.

20

December 2016

Volunteer achievement

Giving the gift of time

Craig Readion, a volunteer at our shop in Maldon, has recently received a qualification certificate recognising his hard work.

Craig became a volunteer after being recommended to the shop team by customers from the cafe at the local church in Tollesbury, where he also volunteers. Since joining the team in May 2013 he has continued to surprise shop manager Kevin Jennings with his hard work and motivation.

Kevin said ‘Craig is a real star. His dedication to volunteering here is unparalleled – he is a true team

player’. When the shop were given the task of selling The Salvation Army’s own brand of Fairtrade tea,

Craig made it his mission to sell as many as he could. Kevin added ‘Craig loved selling the tea – he managed to clear us of stock by selling to customers and friends. Once we’d sold out he wanted more to sell! This is just one example of how willing he is - he is never afraid to dive in’.

So when the opportunity to work

towards a qualification came up, Craig was first in line. The certificate, which is a Level 2 in Customer Service, is offered through Derby College and is available to anyone who volunteers at a Salvation Army

Trading shop in England. Before receiving the certificate, Craig had

to answer a series of questions as

well as being observed by an official from the college.

Craig completed the certificate questions in just one week, and had no trouble impressing the observer. He passed his Level 2 with flying colours, allowing him to then work towards his NVQ. ‘It’s come as no surprise that Craig has also completed his NVQ questions in a week,’ Kevin commented.

It seems there really is no stopping Craig, and his efforts are certainly recognised by staff as well as his family and friends. ‘We’re so fortunate to have Craig as a volunteer. Our shop wouldn’t

function without the help and support we receive from our volunteers and I’d like to encourage anyone that feels they have the time

to volunteer with us.’

Well done Craig!

During the Christmas season we’re looking at ways that we can give. Our Volunteer campaign running throughout our shops is encouraging people to give the gift of time. And we’re not talking about Doc Brown and his car turned time-machine. We’re talking about giving up their own time to help others.

Our newly formed packs mean that we can all help to encourage more volunteers. Is there somewhere that you could promote volunteering, for example a community centre or social club? If you are interested in helping us with our search for more volunteers then please let the

Marketing Team know and we can provide you with a promotion pack.

21

December 2016

Have you heard about 1 million minutes?

What is it like to volunteer with us?

Good Morning Britain have partnered with The Silver Line, Royal Voluntary Service, Age UK and Campaign to End Loneliness to raise time rather than money.

Reflecting on the fact that there are more than 1 million people

who are chronically lonely, Good Morning Britain have challenged their viewers to pledge some time to volunteer. They are offering specific volunteering opportunities as well as encouraging people to help elderly neighbours, relatives

and friends. So far the campaign has raised over 20 million minutes!

For more information visit

www.itv.com

If you were at our conference in April 2016 you will be aware

of the new initiative that was

introduced to staff who are based in Wellingborough. This is, that all staff would be encouraged to volunteer for at least one day per year in a

shop. Well....how is it going so far?

Andrew, from our Customer Service Team, gives an account of his day of volunteering in our Stevenage shop: Having the opportunity to take a day out of my usual work schedule (and commute!) and volunteering in my local charity shop, Stevenage, was a great experience. After meeting with the shop manager, Lorraine, I was given my first task of assisting customers on the till. This is something I do in my daily job anyway, working on the customer service team within SP&S, so I was quite comfortable. Throughout the

day I also assisted in wading my way through the donations and deciding which items were suitable for the shop floor and pricing them accordingly after I had tried my hand at steaming the clothes, without burning myself!

During my day’s work I got the chance to speak to some of the volunteers at this shop who give up their time on a regular basis to help out, and to understand exactly why they volunteer. There are around 25 volunteers that cover the book section, and I managed to speak to a few of them during the day.

Claire has been a volunteer for a

number of different charities and will give her time to those who wish to talk. Jeff attends Stevenage Salvation Army Corps and has

decided that he wishes to give his

service back to God.

It is very encouraging to find out that the Charity shop sector is also working with the local Police and other authorities to assist those

carrying out community service as well as younger teenagers who they are working with to try and give them a better future.

I was really surprised at the amount of work that needs to be completed on a daily basis in the shop – from

sorting, tagging, steaming and hanging as well as assistance on the shop floor. Shops like Stevenage couldn’t continue without the help and support of the volunteers

that they have and I really admire anyone who gives any amount of their time to help.

22

December 2016

If you were at the April 2016

conference you would have witnessed the debut performance of the newly formed SATCoL Singers. Following our surprise collaboration with Aled Jones, a wave of fame ensued and it wasn’t long before we were in demand for our next gig.

After a LOT of rehearsal time and a mock performance in the Wellingborough Office foyer, the choir hopped on the minibus and travelled to Harrogate, where The

Salvation Army Territorial Congress was being held.

The SATCoL Singers performed a 30 minute slot as part of the ‘fringe event’ that preceded the main concert, and performed hits from musicals including Oklahoma, Oliver, The Sound of Music (featuring Trevor Caffull on the tuba!) and Les Miserables. The final song of the set was Do You Hear the People Sing? where the choir were also joined by the International Staff Songsters

in a flash-mob style performance. This song was then reprised at the beginning of the main concert, giving the choir a chance to sing on the main stage in front of a few thousand people!

The event was enjoyed by all and the choir thrived in this performing environment. To see what you missed out on, the performance is available on The Salvation Army UK YouTube channel.

SATCoL Singers on tour!

23

December 2016

Do you drive? Do you drive responsibly?

SP&S Roadshow is a big success

Here are some tips on how to save money and have a

positive impact on the environment when driving

1. AVOID USING THE AIR CONDITIONINGRunning the air conditioning can decrease your fuel economy by almost 25%. Turn down the AC or turn it off once the car is cool to make your car more efficient.

2. KEEP TO THE SPEED LIMITThe faster you drive the more fuel you will consume. Every 5mph you drive over 50mph is equivalent to paying 14p more for each gallon on fuel.

3. KEEP IT SMOOTHIt takes more energy to start and stop a car than to keep it moving. The smoother your driving the more fuel you will save, so avoid tailgating and overtaking. If you have cruise control, use it during long stretches to keep at a steady pace.

4. TURN OFF THE ENGINE IN TRAFFIC JAMSWhen stuck in traffic for a long time, turn your engine off to save fuel.

5. KEEP YOUR TYRES INFLATEDIf all four tyres are under-inflated it can lower mpg by 0.3%. Also by replacing worn out tyres with energy efficient tyres you can reduce your fuel consumption by up to 9%.

For further information on how to make your tyres more

fuel-efficient contact Sue Griffin E-mail:susan.griffin@satcol.org

Note: For more guidance on driving safely refer to SATCoL’s 2.09 Driving and Road Safety Policy

The aforementioned Salvation Army

Territorial Congress in Harrogate was not only a great weekend for the SATCoL Singers (see page 4). The SP&S Roadshow team made a showing at the event and managed one of the best weekends of trading in its history!

The Roadshow Team consists of Matt Randle (Manager), Peter Litchfield and Steve Gomersall (occasionally helped by others). The team travel around the country to various Salvation Army Corps

to display and sell SP&S products. This is a vital part of SP&S trading, as many Salvationists have difficulty accessing the online shop and our shops in Wellingborough and London are too far to travel to. As well as travelling to Corps

to serve the needs of those

Salvationists, the Roadshow Team also holds tradestands at Salvation

Army events throughout the year. The Territorial Congress was a weekend event that attracted over 2000 Salvationists so was a great opportunity for the team to make

good sales.

Over the weekend, the shop was

busy to say the least! Items from books and CDs to uniforms were flying off the shelves and the team didn’t get a moment’s rest! Manager Matt Randle said ‘It’s the busiest I’ve seen the Tradestand at a weekend event in a long time and on return to the office we were very pleased to see that financially it was the most successful Territorial Congress tradestand we have had in years.’

24

December 2016

Have you heard about the

Doughnut Girls?

It all started in 1917 when a cheerful Salvation Army girl handed a fresh doughnut to a homesick doughboy in France. When Helen Purviance and Margaret Sheldon were sent to France by The Salvation Army they took the idea further, developing their recipe and technique to cater for the soldiers, hoping to give them comfort as well as satisfying their hunger. It wasn’t long after that that the tempting aroma of frying doughnuts drew a lengthy line of soldiers to the canteen hut. When fully equipped for the job, the girls fried from 2,500 to 9,000 doughnuts daily, as did other Salvation Army girls along the frontline trenches. The soldiers cheered the doughnuts and soon referred to Salvation Army girls as “doughnut girls”. The simple doughnut became a symbol of all that The Salvation Army was

doing to ease the hardships of the frontline fighting man.

When staff members in Wellingborough got hold of the original recipe, it seemed like the perfect treat to offer at the cafe in the upcoming Superstore.

Adam Sargeant, Internal Auditor (South), who is on the Cafe spoke team, thought it was only best to try out the recipe himself! Adam said ‘I wanted to try the recipe to see how much effort has to go into the making of these so that I fully understand the workload and

expected results when looking for a supplier.

From start to finish it took 45 minutes to make 24 doughnuts. My children thoroughly enjoyed the history behind the recipe, the making and of course the eating of The Salvation Army Doughnut!’

You Doughnut Want to Miss ThisThe Salvation Army

Doughnut RecipeIngredients:

5 cups flour2 cups sugar5 tsp. baking powder1 ‘saltspoon’ salt (1/4 tsp.)2 eggs1 3/4 cups milk1 tub lardMakes 4 dozen donuts

Directions:1. Combine all ingredients (except for lard) to make dough.2. Thoroughly knead dough, roll smooth, and cut into rings that are less than 1/4 inch thick. (When finding items to cut out donut circles, be creative. Salvation Army Doughnut Girls used whatever they could find, from baking powder cans to coffee percolator tubes.)3. Drop the rings into the lard, making sure the fat is hot enough to brown the donuts gradually. Turn the donuts slowly several times.4. When browned, remove donuts and allow excess fat to drip off.5. Dust with powdered sugar. Let cool and enjoy.

25

December 2016

5 Tips to Help Togetherness at WorkAdapted from an article featured in ‘Entrepreneur’ magazine,written by Jacqueline Whitmore, a Business Etiquette expert.

Let’s face it – whatever our job role or position in the company, we all have to work with people. A business like ours will run like a well-oiled machine if we all learn to create positive relationships with our colleagues and co-workers.Here are five tips that will help develop great relationships at work.

1. Develop a positive attitude.A positive attitude is key to an enjoyable, more comfortable workplace. A positive or negative attitude also spills over into how our customers perceive our business, which translates into their willingness to do business with us. They can tell when everything is clicking, and they can also tell when things are amiss.

2. Treat everyone with respect.Everyone we work with deserves respect in the workplace, even when opinions differ. Look at each and every colleague as a vital member of our team. Respect that each may have different opinions and ways of looking at the world. This respect will go a long way in developing the trust and teamwork that will improve the productivity of our business.

3. Practice active listening.Effective communication begins with active listening. Colleagues should be encouraged to share their thoughts and be heard. We should all aim for an environment where everyone feels they have a voice.

4. Connect on a personal level.We should all aim to develop meaningful bonds with our fellow workers. Exchange ideas and personal opinions. Show our empathy and concern for each other’s well being as people. Take time to share and learn about each other’s families and goals.

5. Work together for a larger good.Most people feel good when they’re helping others. In this of all organisations, our goals and activities are ultimately for the common good of others – in sharing these goals we form a common bond throughout the company.

The Salvation Army Fundraising Events Team have announced their next big fundraiser: a 3 day trek in the landscapes of Iceland. Trekkers who sign up will endure a total of 53 kilometres with the sponsorship money going directly to The Salvation Army to fund their vital work.

One of these trekkers is Millie Caffull from The Marketing Team. Millie has said ‘I’m really looking forward to the trek although I know it will be challenging both physically and mentally. Camping in the wilderness will also be a new and interesting experience, but knowing that all my sponsorship money will go straight

to The Salvation Army will be a great motivation for me’.

For more information or to sponsor

Millie on her Trek, see her Just Giving page www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Millie-Caffull

26

December 2016

SATCoL Launch Supporter’s ProductsSports fans, music fans, followers of fashion and charity supporters all have something in common. All have items available to them

to show their support, whether

it be replica clothing, pin badges or fashion accessories, and these can be worn to demonstrate their support for their favourite team,

music artist, brand or charity to their friends, family and colleagues.Earlier this year, the Procurement Department with the help of the Marketing Team were set the challenge to provide a range of products available for those who support The Salvation Army, giving them the opportunity to show this

support through means other than donating or purchasing pre-loved items. The Procurement team, Lee

Parker (Procurement Manager) and Georgia Dowell (Procurement assistant), carried out research on the customer demographic and presented a range of impulse purchase product suitable for a wide customer base.

A UK supplier was sourced to produce a range of quality product with value for money. It was essential that an affordable impulse price range was available to appeal to a wider audience. The range includes some obvious products (pens and wristbands), with a compliment of new and exciting products featuring two meaningful slogans.The two designs chosen were put together by Dan Homerstone, the Marketing Team’s designer.

Dan said ‘I wanted to incorporate the ‘Belief in Action’ as this is already a recognised strapline and demonstrates what the Army is. The ‘Your/Our Army’ slogan was a way to involve the support, making them feel a part of what we are doing.’

If you are wearing the Your Army pin badges, drinking tea from your Belief in Action mug, using your Hessian bag or even snuggling up with the Your Army Teddy, you are supporting The Salvation Army, the charity that makes a difference.The Supporter’s Products are available from selected shops, the SP&S website and the Salvation Army Trading website.

Products from

49p

27

December 2016

Salvation Army Present Appeal Supports Families

Salvation Army Furniture Reuse Project Opens to Public

The Salvation Army is ensuring thousands of children in the UK will wake up to presents on Christmas

Day by encouraging people to add an extra toy to their shopping list. Donated presents will go to families struggling to buy a gift for their children.

Val Mylechreest, Director of Family Ministries said: “During the festive season, when many are enjoying celebrations with friends and family, others are struggling to make ends meet. Our huge team of volunteers in communities across the country

will be out delivering your generous Christmas gifts to those who might otherwise go without.

“The Christmas message inspires us as a church to reach out to those in need, so we’re running the Christmas Present Appeal to ensure

every child gets a present.”

People are invited to drop a new

unused toy for a child aged nought to 16 years old to their nearest

participating Salvation Army church or centre from mid-November to early December. The Salvation

Army will then wrap the gifts, which will be distributed to children and families in the local area through The Salvation Army’s own networks, local groups and social services.

In Norfolk alone, more than 11,500 toys were distributed to families

last year. Hazel Sommerville, coordinator for The Salvation Army’s ‘Toys & Tins’ appeal in Norwich said: “It’s wonderful to imagine children’s faces light up when they open their Christmas presents”

A furniture reuse project in Dundee, which was set up to help people overcome homelessness, has opened its doors to the public.

The Salvation Army Homelessness Services unit launched the project in 2014 as a way of offering volunteering opportunities and good quality furniture to men and women moving on from Strathmore Lodge and Burnside Mill lifehouses. The showroom has been so successful that it has now opened to the public, with all profits going directly towards our homelessness work in Dundee.

Service manager Pamela Grant said: “This is an exciting time for The Salvation Army in Dundee. The ownership for the project comes from our homelessness centres so when people buy an item of

furniture they are helping give our residents a better chance of moving into their own homes.”

Volunteer Coordinator Frank

Mulgrew, said: “Roughly 3700 volunteering hours have gone into the project and many of our former volunteers have gone on to employment. In one case we had a guy who was accepted onto a place

at university.

“Any income we generate goes back into the homelessness work of The Salvation Army in Dundee. We are grateful to the support of our funders but our aim is to rely less on

them and become self-sufficient.”

The furniture reuse project is open to the public every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10am to 2pm. For more information

or to donate furniture, call 01382 458573.

28

December 2016

HRH Princess EugenieSupports The Salvation Army

HRH Princess Eugenie has lent her support to The Salvation Army’s campaign to stop modern slavery. In an exclusive interview with the charity’s Director of Anti Trafficking and Modern Slavery, Major Anne Read, Princess Eugenie reveals what first motivated her to take an interest in modern slavery and

why she began helping to raise awareness of the crime, which has seen a fivefold rise in victim referrals since 2011.

In the interview, Princess Eugenie tells Anne Read about a visit to India with her parents where she met a

group of women. They had been trafficked, but since being rescued from slavery they were using their tailoring skills to produce clothes within a growing social enterprise, and crucially, getting paid for their work.

The Princess then visited a UK safe house for female victims of modern slavery with The Salvation Army this year. She says in the interview:

“I think that was so shocking. [Modern slavery is] on our own

doorstep when you think it is a

million miles away.

“I was completely astounded by the victims. These people were strong, happy… these girls really showed me how to grab life and appreciate things”.

The Salvation Army wants the public to feel empowered that they can do something by helping them to spot the signs of modern slavery in their community and by taking part in #askthequestion – a simple

initiative through which people can ask the businesses or services they use, “is this slave free?”, using

both hashtags #askthequestion and #slavefree.

In the interview, Princess Eugenie said “The campaign in general is brilliant. It’s something to make people think, and make people

listen and have a look and see what

they can do to ask the question.

“I think raising awareness is such a huge part of modern slavery because no one knows it’s going on as much as it is. There are more slaves now than there were

in William Wilberforce’s time and I think it’s such a huge problem but everyone can do their part to try and affect change.

“It’s definitely something that I’m going to shout about.”

Princess Eugenie with Major Anne Read