Helping-Hand Appeal: Raising funds locally

Salvationist hears how corps have been raising funds for the Helping-Hand Appeal.

Boscombe

I am the leader of the Friendship Circle at Boscombe. This group has a generous membership who contribute weekly to a Helping-Hand fund, on average £25 per week. Some weeks it is much more than the average. Last summer, we held a bring-and-buy sale, which raised £89.30. One member also collects coins and contributes these to the Helping-Hand Appeal.

Commissioner Denise Swansbury

Carlisle

Our Ladies’ Fellowship is the prime mover in raising funds for Helping-Hand Appeal – they are holding a musical soirée as their next big event!

Captain Mel Scoulding

Croydon Citadel

We have just finished counting up our money for the 2025 campaign and reached a total of £1,102! This was shared on Sunday with an oversized cheque. The amount relates to the personal donations given by folk who come to the home league. We make sure everyone has the brochure with the information of what the money is going to be used for and twice a year we show the video that is prepared for the Helping-Hand Appeal to remind people what we are collecting for.

Lieut-Colonel Sara Chagas

Felixstowe

Our approach to the Helping-Hand Appeal is extremely simple: consistency and faithfulness. A jug – probably a relic from past appeals! – is passed around at the beginning of every Friends Together meeting. In addition to this, we have recently begun allocating the income from one of our weekly coffee mornings each month to the appeal. The main reason our Friends Together take part in Helping[1]Hand so faithfully is that it is a relatively easy way to be involved in the broader mission of the Army; it’s a good way of showing compassion and playing a part in giving opportunities to others. As corps leaders, we are always blown away by how generous our Friends Together group are.

Captain Paul Williams