Wartime antics inspire new project in Blaydon

Blaydon Salvation Army is launching the Victory Programme, which brings people together in a fun social experience based on the community spirit and resourcefulness created during the Second World War. They are currently recruiting for a programme leader who will head up the project, which is the second of its kind, after a successful pilot project in Crook, Co Durham, commenced in 2014.

Blaydon Salvation Army team leader Alison Dare said:

‘Living in a time of austerity can be tough, so we want to draw from the experiences of the wartime generation who had great tips for healthy living on a restricted budget and, together, enjoy preparing free food, cooking meals, eating together, discovering top tips on how to find the best bargains and even have an opportunity to grow and eat our own food! We want people to live their lives to the full, seeing our collective value and reaching our God-given potential.’

The six-week courses run free of charge and Blaydon has adapted the programme to include a special focus on parents of pre-schoolers and school-aged children who can often find ‘me’time as tight as their budgets! The small groups will cook and eat together as well as learning to grow their own food, all themed around the wartime campaign of ‘Dig for Victory’. The course will build on Blaydon’s Holiday Fun children’s club, run in partnership with other churches throughout the summer. Children who are entitled to free school meals during term time prepare then eat a meal together and take the ingredients and recipe home to recreate it for their family.

The Salvation Army is looking to recruit a Victory Programme Co-ordinator who will facilitate the cooking sessions and guide individuals to make positive changes in their lives. They will also be in charge of recruiting people to the course. Additional support will be on offer from other local agencies on the budgeting and horticultural elements of the programme.

Alison says: ‘Launching the project in Blaydon, building on its success in Crook, is an exciting opportunity for everyone and will be very rewarding for the person we recruit. Not only will they be learning with new friends, they will be helping to bring transformation to our community.’

The closing date for applications is 20 August 2017 and applicants can view the job description online at https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/jobs