Scottish Green Party praise for Edinburgh Gorgie Salvation Army

[Photo: Major Kathy Betteridge and community manager Beverly Johnston put questions to Maggie Chapman]

The co-convener of The Scottish Green Party has praised Edinburgh Gorgie Salvation Army for being at the heart of its community.

Maggie Chapman, who is standing in the North East Region in next month's Scottish Elections, visited our church and charity to see how it is helping vulnerable people.

The visit was the latest part of The Salvation Army's Scottish Election 2016 film project – a series of short films that will be used to highlight the main political parties’ responses to issues highlighted by our frontline services.

Maggie said: "The Salvation Army is all about building up communities and being the glue that holds them together.

"My mother volunteered with The Salvation Army in Zimbabwe so I know what they are all about.

"It's great to see the work they're doing here in Edinburgh with the debt advice centre and the food bank, and I'll do what I can to support that."

During the visit, community church leader Major Kathy Betteridge and community manager Beverly Johnston asked what the Scottish Greens could do to combat pay day loan firms.

The issues covered by the film project are: drug and alcohol misuse, homelessness, employability, older people, and debt. The series of short films will be released on social media in the weeks before the Scottish Election on May 5, 2016.

Leaders or representatives from the five main political parties accepted an invitation to visit a frontline Salvation Army service that deals with one of the issues in the films.

The five films will available to view on The Salvation Army's website here on the following dates:

• April 1 – Homelessness (The Pleasance Lifehouse, Edinburgh)

• April 8 - Older people's care (Eagle Lodge Care home, Leith)

• April 15 – Drug and alcohol misuse (Greenock Floating Support Service)

• April 22 – Unemployment (New Future Employability and Training Centre)

• April 29 – Debt (Debt Advice Centre and Foodbank, Edinburgh Gorgie)

Lieutenant-Colonel Jonathan Roberts, The Salvation Army's Assistant to the Secretary for Scotland, said: "This is a great opportunity for The Salvation Army and our service users to ask the questions that matter. 

“The Salvation Army has a long history of seeking to help unemployed people achieve their full potential and escape welfare dependency.

“We're thankful to Ms Chapman MSP for taking part in the question-and-answer session.”