Army people

Editors note: The appointment announcements in the 18 April issue neglected to mention some of the UK officers who are being succeeded. Salvationist apologises for the error and includes the full announcements below.

The following appointments and promotions, decided upon by the General, have been announced by the Chief of the Staff

Effective 1 July

Colonels Knud and Lisbeth Welander, officers of the Norway, Iceland and the Færoes Territory, are appointed as Territorial Commander and Territorial President of Women’s Ministries, Norway, Iceland and the Færoes Territory, with the rank of commissioner. They will succeed Commissioner William Cochrane, who will be taking up new appointment responsibilities at International Headquarters.

Effective 1 August

Lieut-Colonel Ireen Hachamba, an officer of the Zambia Territory, is appointed as Chief Secretary, Zambia Territory. She will succeed Lieut-Colonel Kenneth Hawkins who, along with Lieut-Colonel Ann Hawkins, will be taking up new appointment responsibilities in Africa.

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES

Blue Sapphire (65th)

Majors Alma and James Brown (7 May) Emerald (55th)

Lieut-Colonels David and Valerie Jones (8 May)

RETIRED OFFICERS

Birthday congratulations

Major Millicent Straker (102 on 7 May)

BEREAVED

Captain Isobel Carson of her husband Jim

Stephen Pickard, Bath Citadel, of his brother Major David Pickard

Shirley Green, Droitwich Spa, of her husband Rtd BM Michael Green, Major Jill Colclough, Derby Central, CSM Jane Carter, Swindon Citadel, Sarah Park and Rachel Woolfenden, both Droitwich Spa, of their father

David Tovey, Staple Hill, of his sister Kathleen

PROMOTED TO GLORY

Sheila Starling, Ipswich Citadel

Major David Pickard from King’s College Hospital, London, on 7 April

Audrey Bishop, Southsea

Joan Gasser, Southsea

Josephine Wileman, Burton-on-Trent

OFFICIAL GAZETTE

UKI Territory

LONG SERVICE

25 years

Major Nasreen Dawson, Rotherham

ANTHONY COTTERILL, Commissioner Territorial Commander

Tributes

JEAN SUTHERLAND, BIRMINGHAM CITADEL

JEAN was enrolled as a soldier in 1950 at Chesterfield, beginning a life of dedicated service. Due to her husband John’s employment, she served at a number of corps, including Colchester Citadel, Dunstable, Birmingham Hockley and Birmingham Citadel. Jean was active in the home league and Cameo club. She found great delight in using her singing voice as an expression of her Christian witness. Her concern was for people and although she was unable to attend in recent years due to her ill health, she kept in contact with a number of corps members, always wanting to know how they were and offering words of encouragement.

Jean was a true disciple and her faith was constantly strong. Her witness continued to shine through in the nursing home where she was a resident.

Jean is missed by the corps folk and her family, whom she loved dearly. – ID

Please note that soldiers’ and adherent members’ tributes submitted for publication should be no longer than 150 words. Good quality pictures will be included with tributes.

GORDON BELL, BARROW-INFURNESS

GORDON was born into a Salvation Army family, sadly losing his mum when he was 18 months old. At the age of 18, Gordon was called into wartime service as a Bevin Boy and served his country mining coal in the northeast of England. He never forgot the Christian kindness of the James family from Leadgate Corps, who provided love and stability when away from home.

In 1959 Gordon married Avril and they were blessed to celebrate their diamond anniversary in 2019.

Gordon enjoyed a lifelong appreciation of music, serving as a bandsman for more than 70 years. He was YP bandleader for a period, and two of his former YP band members attended his funeral.

Gordon showed his faith in the way he lived. When confined to a hospital bed, he shared his faith in the ward as prayers were offered, making it easy for those around him to participate in a special way.

Servant of God, well done! – MD

MAVIS O’CONNOR, BIRMINGHAM CITADEL

MAVIS Jannels was born to officer parents in Dundee in 1943. During her childhood years she lived in Scotland, Liverpool, south Wales, London, Kent and Birmingham. At the age of 13, she spent six months in Switzerland, where she learnt German. Mavis met and married Malcolm and they had 54 years together and two children, as well as a successful career in the motor trade.

At Birmingham Sparkhill she was appointed YPSM, with a Sunday school of more than 100 children, and was also singing company leader and corps and songster pianist for many years.

In 2001 she and Malcolm moved to Birmingham Citadel to worship with their family. Mavis lived with multiple sclerosis for more than 25 years, but never let it get in the way of attending church or everyday life. She also witnessed to her carers every Sunday after attending the meeting. – RO

MALCOLM O’CONNOR, BIRMINGHAM CITADEL

MALCOLM was born in 1939 and worshipped at Birmingham Temple, then Sparkhill, with his parents and four brothers. He married Mavis in 1965. They had 54 happy years together with two children and two grandchildren.

They worshipped at Sparkhill until 2001, and Malcolm played one of the famous Sparkhill sousaphones, taking over from his father. He was the band secretary for many years, combining this role with a job involving shift work, but always attending whenever work permitted.

He was immensely proud of his children and grandchildren and was a devoted husband. When Mavis was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis he took early retirement and looked after her for 25 years. Despite battling cancer in his latter years, he never complained.

He was an inspiration to many people for his devotion to his wife and family and his encouragement of others in the corps. – RO

Coronavirus Update

This update, issued by Secretary for Communications Lieut-Colonel Dean Pallant, is correct as of 3 pm on 17 April

Thank you for your contribution to continue the ministry and outreach of The Salvation Army.

These are difficult days, with many of us grieving for family and friends who have died or are far from well. Some of our employees are taking part in the government’s job retention scheme by being furloughed. Others are doing unfamiliar work, and almost everyone’s normal routine has been disrupted. Please continue to look out for each other. You can offer help in a safe way to family, friends and people within your community, including picking up the phone, sending an email, taking part in a video chat or through prayer.

As we clap for NHS staff and carers on Thursday evenings, let’s also pray for all those in our Salvation Army family and beyond who have concerns at this time. We ask God for peace, protection and strength in all they are doing.

DIVISIONAL FOOD HUBS

Final plans are being put into place to open 22 divisional food distribution hubs. Financial or in-kind donations permitting, bulk supplies of food will be delivered on a regular basis to divisional hubs and then distributed to corps as required to enable them to top up their supplies.

While corps should continue to make the most of donations from partnerships, wholesalers, supermarkets and FareShare, it is anticipated the ability to source food locally will be affected as demand on these sources continues to rise.

It is hoped that the new divisional food distribution network will offer corps an additional food supply source while also enabling donations made to The Salvation Army to go much farther.

Details of how to request food from the divisional hubs will be shared by DHQs over the coming weeks.

FOOD DONATIONS

It’s important that we continue to reinforce government guidance about social distancing, therefore donations of food from the public should not be encouraged at this time. Instead, corps can use JustGiving to ask their communities for financial support.

FUNDRAISING APPEALS

We have seen an extraordinary demand for the Army’s services over recent weeks but it is now clear that our communities will continue to need our support long after the crisis peaks and social distancing ends.

To support our short, medium and long-term coronavirus response, a specific public fundraising appeal has been launched to raise vital funds to keep our frontline services running and support corps work.

Details will be shared in the coming days about how money raised through the Coronavirus Impact Fund will be distributed to corps and services in need of support.

CLOTHING BANK AND SHOP DONATIONS

The Salvation Army, along with SATCoL (Salvation Army Trading Company Ltd), has asked well-meaning members of the public to stop leaving bags of donations next to our clothing banks and outside our charity shops during the lockdown. As we are unable to collect items at this time they will have to be sent to landfill sites instead. Losing these donations will cost us thousands in lost stock as well as being an environmental disaster.

Dropping off bags at clothing banks or charity shops is not listed as one of the journeys that can be made under lockdown. Please remind those wishing to donate to stay at home and to kindly keep their clothing and shop donations until the restrictions are lifted and our shops reopen.

CALLS AND MESSAGES FROM THE PUBLIC

Across the territory we are experiencing a high volume of calls and messages as people reach out to The Salvation Army for support and to find out how they can help.

These enquiries come through to the territorial social media channels, info@salvationarmy.org.uk and THQ phone lines, but many are best dealt with by the nearest corps or centre. Please be reassured that the public is being advised that our corps and centres may not be able to respond immediately.

EVENT CANCELLATIONS

The youth and children’s summer camp programme across the territory has been cancelled. The territorial congress, 24 and 25 October, has also been cancelled.

Key information is available on the territorial website: salvationarmy.org.uk/coronavirus-and-internalinformation