The Salvation Army, which is the largest single provider of accommodation for homeless people in the UK, is giving the public a chance to see what goes on in one of their homeless centres via a virtual tour.
The Salvation Army provides more than 3,000 places for homeless men, women and families every day in the UK alone.A virtual tour can be seen online and lasts for approximately 90 seconds, and is being launched to mark Homelessness Sunday on Jan 29th, 2006.
Homelessness Sunday is being run by the Homelessness Sunday Partnership, and is bringing together thousands of churches in unity.
The Salvation Army states it is keen to emphasise that the care and support offered in residential centres is a key factor in preventing homelessness and helping people to cope with living independently.
The centre revealed in the virtual tour is the Edward Alsop Court in Westminster, London. The centre was opened in 1996 and allows 112 men accommodation, and offers life-skills training, support and the opportunity for clients to part in education courses.
Major Ray Irving, Deputy Director for Social Services said, “The majority of people will hopefully not need to be accommodated in a Salvation Army homeless centre, or ‘hostel’ as people used to call them, but may have fixed ideas about what they are really like.
“We run 62 residential centres for homeless people in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland and our centres are vibrant, modern and inviting places where homeless people not only find accommodation but also enjoy life in community and learn skills to help them in the future. Some people may have an old-fashioned idea of Salvation Army centres and what happens inside and our ‘virtual tour’ may help to dispel some of those myths.”
