Tan Dhesi MP visits Salvation Army in Slough to hear of its work to tackle poverty and homelessness

MP, Tan Dhesi visited The Salvation Army in Slough on Wednesday (4 October) to see for himself the vital work the church and charity does to help the most vulnerable people in Slough and the surrounding areas.

Mr. Dhesi was personally invited by Officers Malcolm and Lin Anderson, who together lead the church on Stoke Road and work closely with men and women facing poverty and homelessness on a daily basis.

As well as providing a listening ear to members of the local community who are dealing with issues such as unemployment and poor access to benefits and medical services, the church also runs a soup kitchen and a weekly community drop-in for rough sleepers. 

The Salvation Army is an active member of the Slough Homelessness Forum too; a partnership of charities and community groups which works together to enable those at risk of homelessness to get access to emergency support. 

Church leader, Malcolm Anderson said: 

“It was great to welcome Tan Dhesi to our church and tell him how concerned we are about the increase we’ve seen in people asking for help because they’re struggling with higher rents or are actually homeless.

“We wanted to highlight just how difficult it is to get access to benefits or medical care once a person is homeless; not to mention trying to find employment with no fixed address.  

“Mr. Dhesi seemed genuinely moved by what he saw and heard at our Corps (church).  He is obviously deeply concerned about what’s happening in our community too and we’re confident he’ll work hard as our local MP to bring these issues to the forefront in Parliament.”

The Salvation Army is a church and charity dedicated to caring for people who are vulnerable or in need.  Salvation Army churches are at the heart of the local communities they serve and provide compassionate support, practical help and a warm welcome to anyone visiting them.

Slough Salvation Army Corps is situated at Stoke Road, SL2 5BW