NEWS
ARMY NEWS
One in five young adults rely on charity, Army reveals UK ONE in five adults under 30 say they will have to rely on charity this Christmas, and over half (51 per cent) of them have children, according to The Salvation Army. The survey of more than 2,000 UK adults aged 18 to 30 found that, despite nearly half (48 per cent) being in full-time jobs, thousands live hand to mouth, with those in work just as likely as unemployed people to need charity support. Nearly one in five (19 per cent) are also behind with their rent or mortgage, and the Army is warning that, with the rise in the cost of living, many young people are on the cliff edge of homelessness. Catherine, aged 24 from Harwich, is mother to a 6-week-old baby and an 18-month-old toddler. With her partner out of work, their young family is relying on support from charities, including The Salvation Army, for essentials such as nappies, baby milk, washing powder and groceries. She says: ‘Money is really tight at the moment and Christmas will be a real struggle. My partner’s shortterm job finished four months ago but he can’t find work as his skills don’t match the job vacancies in the area where we live.
‘We can’t keep asking our relatives for more help as they have their own bills to pay. I can’t believe that I have to rely on charity to get through Christmas but we’ve got young children to think of. I worry about what else next year will bring, but The Salvation Army said they’ll give my partner free employment advice, which we hope helps as we don’t have anywhere else to turn.’ The research also shows that since the start of the pandemic one in five (21 per cent) had delayed paying other bills, one in four (27 per cent) had to borrow money and one in ten (11 per cent) visited a food bank. Office for National Statistics figures, plus research from think tank Demos, show that this age group is more likely to be in low-paid, low-security jobs with more of their income going on housing. They are also more likely to have suffered financially due to the pandemic as a higher proportion worked in industries that shut down or put furloughed staff on reduced wages. The Salvation Army is calling for people with debt problems to be given 60 days to pay back the government for the loan they receive while waiting for their first universal credit payment. It is also calling for more debt support for those at risk of falling into arrears with their mortgage or rent, as well as protection from food poverty during the school holidays for families with children and an expansion of free childcare provision so that parents can afford to work. – AR
COMMUNITY
Kilmarnock corps officers Captains Emma and Les Heal (left) join members of Kilmarnock FC and representatives of East Ayrshire Churches Homelessness Action to launch this year’s Christmas Toy Appeal 8
Salvationist 18 December 2021
EVENT EAST OF ENGLAND The divisional junior camp took place several months later than initially planned. The jam-packed weekend was themed Who Me? and explored how God calls ordinary people. The children were able to worship and think about how they could be like characters from the Bible, such as David, Jonah and Moses. Daytime activities included an assault course, treetop trail, abseiling and rock climbing, while the evenings included crafts, a campfire with toasted marshmallows and a movie night with popcorn. All who attended shared smiles of joy and accomplishments. – RB
ARMY NEWS NOTTINGHAM The Salvation Army’s latest donation centre opened its doors to the home city of the Booth family, almost 200 years after William Booth was born in the suburb of Sneinton. The donation centre manager, Sally Thomas, said: ‘The main difference between a charity shop and a donation centre is the range of goods available and volume of donations we are able to accept. There is plenty of space in store to browse our range. There are also parking spaces outside, which make it easier to donate items, including furniture. We have already received lots of items of furniture but they tend to sell quickly, so we always welcome donations and offer free furniture collections. We are really looking forward to welcoming the Nottingham community.’ – AR Members of Mold outreach team attend the turning on of the town’s Christmas lights, handing out goodie bags containing copies of ‘Kids Alive!’ along with carol service invites
