Testimony: Practical faith

Driven by a passion for practical faith, Dawn established a school uniform hub to provide essential support and dignity to families in her community.

When I was growing up, I used to go to The Salvation Army at Shipley and help two of my Sunday school teachers as they held jumble sales on a council estate. They taught me that it was really important for Christians to help people, and not just talk about it. I can remember that they gave so much stuff away – and their example played a part in my coming to faith.

A few years ago, I was running the Army’s parent-and-toddler group and people would often come in to ask for help in the form of a food parcel. When they’d collect it, they’d say something like: “I can’t afford food because I’ve got to buy my child a new school jumper for £15.”

So I had a bit of a think, then started asking people I knew if I could have their children’s old school uniforms. Loads of donations came in, which prompted me to set up the School Uniform Support Hub. It provides good quality, second-hand uniforms at very little cost to the families who need them. Although we started running the hub in the Army hall, it grew so big over the years that we now have our own shop premises.

The Army’s criteria for helping people is really flexible. The uniforms are given out on a pay-as-you-can-afford basis, so if a parent takes home a whole uniform but can’t afford to pay anything for it, that’s OK by us.

I wanted to start the hub because I noticed in the Bible that when Jesus helped people, he just got on with it. He didn’t advertise what he was doing. He didn't plan his miracles as “big events” beforehand – he just spent lots of time with people and helped them, quietly, when they needed it. That inspires me.