bhowells

I totally agree with your comments its exactly why have so much time for them, I am not particuraly religous but they get my vote every time.

Steve Crook

The ones that used to come round to our pub never told us off in any way for drinking. They just offered the choice if anyone wanted to take it

Steve

torinfan

I once worked for the Salvation Army - paid employment, as well as volunteer work - and I donate several times a year. They were incredibly supportive of me when my father suddenly died of a fatal heart attack back in 1999. I admire the SA for all the work they do and they will help anyone in need, regardless of religious affiliation, or lack of.

samkydd

Although something rather sinister lurks beneath the service. I was brought up in a small seaside town where the two biggest business families were Salvation Army die-hards. Many believed that because of this link with the organisation they were able to use its influence when it came to things like getting Planning Permission for one of their new business ventures, or perhaps a dodgy extension to an existing shop or restaurant, and also stopping rival businesses from opening by successfully objecting to them getting Planning Consent etc. Also they never ever got parking tickets despite some of their vehicles causing obstructions etc and often their children were given the benefit of the doubt by the police if they were involved in anything untoward.

It was almost a Masonic type of back scratching going on, and a lot of people outside of the clan felt that it was rather unfair that they should receive this perceived preferential treatment. I don't know if there was any truth behind the whispers, but forty years on the same families still control most of the commerce in the town and woe betide anyone who wants to set up a new venture and threaten their monopoly. It's as if anyone joining the SA will buy a golden ticket to trade.

"...the chairman of Littlewoods stores made a Keynote speech!"

EHV_Emmetts

I have worked as a volunteer for the Salvation Army. Although I'm not religious I have great respect for what they actually achieve. The SA do roll up their sleeves (literally in many cases) to help and aid people who are destitute.

Whilst other religious organisation's preach and pontificate from inside warm cozy places of worship, the SA are out on the streets, in all weathers, physically assisting people who are ignored by the social provision providers.

Grey Wyler

I remember when The Salvation Army were under a great deal of scrutiny, with many in the media looking for any dirt that would provide good copy. I sadly at the time swallowed a lot of the hype, my opinion changed however over a very long week in London in 1985 when after losing my job and flat, and being totally broke, the Army helped out by providing a few meals and a bed for the night until i had some cash sent down by a friend.
They asked no questions and looked for nothing in return. I am not a Christian, but i never, ever walk past an Army collector with dropping in a couple of quid. I must have paid them back a thousand times over, and if i do it for the rest of my life it is still not enough to thank them.

I'm sure every organization has a few bad apples, thats just the nature of things, but i do believe there is far, far more good than bad in The Salvation Army.

Steve Crook

I think that sort of thing might occasionally happen, but is highly unusual. It's much more likely to happen with Rotary clubs or with the Masons themselves.

In this small seaside town, did anyone outside these families appear to get any benefit? Maybe it was just a situation where certain families control most things in a town. That doesn't only happen in Sicily

Steve