Haverhill leaders bid to make support easier to access

Salvation Army leaders in Haverhill want to make essential services provided by charities in the town available to everyone.

Territorial Envoys Russell and Alison Day plan to set up a hub  where residents and visitors can find information about local  charities and organisations. They will be gauging interest in a pop-up service on Friday, 1 October.

The pop-up stall will be at Haverhill Market and Russell said he hopes the event will provide a good indication of support for the idea.

He said: “We need to speak to people who live here. Come along and meet us and tell us what you think your community wants.”

Alison said the town branch of the church already offers a drop-in facility for the over-60s, a men’s fellowship group, bible study and a Come and Meet Each Other Friendship Group, but revealed they had a lot of other enquiries during lockdown

She said: “Haverhill is a growing town with a brilliant community spirit and a lot of organisations and charities – but not everybody has access to them. In the pandemic, we had phone calls asking for food parcels or help with debt counselling for example. All the organisations want to help but often can’t connect, as advertising is difficult.”

Alison and Russell approached other churches in Haverhill and have already put together a team of volunteers. If the idea becomes a permanent fixture, it could be based on the High Street.

Alison said: “Often people will have more than one problem, so we want to have a central point where volunteers can  signpost them to the right organisations. They can pass on people’s details to those best placed to help. Organisations have been very supportive, and churches want to be involved.”