The official opening of two new Salvation Army social service centres in Central London means that there are now homes for another 166 vulnerable people in the capital.

On just one day, The Salvation Army officially opened the Hopetown social services centre for women in East London, and Cambria House centre for men near King's Cross.

The leaders of The Salvation Army's UK Territory with the Republic of Ireland, Commissioners John and Betty Matear, led services of dedication and unveiled plaques at both centres to mark their official opening.

At both opening ceremonies Commissioner John Matear prayed that the centres would be a place of safety and security, where residents would find peace and a purpose. He said everyone was valued in the centre and that The Salvation Army was here to serve.

"I am often asked why, in the sophisticated 21st century, The Salvation Army still engages in social welfare provision and my reply is 'because people are important to God'. It is for God's purposes, and to God's glory that we do this work," he said.

At Hopetown, just off Whitechapel in East London, 99 women can be accommodated in en-suite bedrooms, which are centred around communal kitchen and living areas. There are also 19 self-catering studio flats on site which residents can move into as gradually adapt to living independently.

At Hopetown, which opened its doors in May 2006, residents are encouraged to progress through the centre, adapting gradually to living an independent life and preparing for a time when they will have a home of their own in the community.

The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is partnering in several programmes offered on site, including an 8-week course in self awareness and self esteem and a sex working unit in partnership with the Tower Hamlets Safe Exiting unit, encouraging sex workers to look at alternative lifestyles.

The Tower Hamlet Women's Only Drugs team works from the centre and in partnership with the Tower Hamlets Drugs Action Team (DAT Compass, the ISIS drugs programme is provided for service users with drug dependency.

At Cambria House 48 formerly single homeless men live in en-suite rooms clustered around kitchens. Cambria House is a 'second stage' centre run in partnership with Camden Council, and all the residents are at a stage where they are ready, or almost ready, to move back into independent living. All have jobs or are undertaking work experience, or are in education in the local area.

At Cambria House there are no communal living areas, because residents are encouraged to engage with the surrounding community. There is a computer suite and two training rooms. Cambria House opened in September 2006 and several residents have already moved successfully into their own accommodation having spent a short time in The Salvation Army's care.

Both Hopetown and Cambria House replace older buildings and have been rebuilt in recent years by the Salvation Army Housing Association (SAHA), who were represented at the official openings by the Chief Executive Mr Nigel Parrington, and Chairman Colonel Lawrie Fisher. SAHA works in partnership with The Salvation Army to run both centres. The new building provide modern facilities suitable for 21st century living.

The construction of Hopetown was completed at a total cost of £10.22m and was part-funded by the Housing Corporation and the Corporation of London. The Salvation Army.

Cambria House was completed at a cost of £5.45m, with funding of £5.15m from the Homeless Directorate and £300,000 from The Salvation Army.




[Source: The Salvation Army]