Temperance societies in the early 1800’s were worried about drinking amongst the youth of Leeds. The reverend Jabez Tunnicliffe welded several together to form the Band of Hope. He died age 56 but was the chaplain at Burmantofts cemetery where his grave can still be seen close to Stoney Rock Lane.
The Band of Hope started in 1847 when Ann Jane Carlile a temperance pioneer was invited to Leeds to speak at some children’s meetings. She was convinced that children suffered because of the ready availability of ‘strong drink’. Hope UK still works as a children’s charity ‘enabling children to make drug free choices’. ‘First you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you’ Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald.
After exposure to the Band of Hope William Booth and his wife Catherine opened The Christian Revival Society renamed in 1878 The Salvation Army. There are many icons associated with The Salvation Army including The Citadels, The War Cry, the Red Shield and the slogan “Blood and Fire”. (Representing the Blood which was shed by Jesus for our sins and the Fire of the Holy Spirit).
The good works of the Salvation Army include
3,000,000 meals served every year at community and residential centres
79,000 prisoners visited each year in 134 prisons
3,200 homeless people given food and shelter every night in 57 centres
709 local church and community centres
636 elderly people accommodated every night in 17 residential centres
300 youth clubs providing a caring environment for young people
120 drop-in centres offering support and help for people in need
70 day centres for elderly and disabled people
50 nurseries and playgroups
30 Red Shield support centres for military personnel in the UK, Germany and the Falkland Islands
10 people reunited every working day with their families through the Family Tracing Service
Perhaps the most obvious icon is the Salvation Army Band that is one of the activities that supports the necessary fund raising activities.
‘Eleven pence halfpenny more to make a bob’ a fund raising slogan of the Salvation army.
Photo credit
Salvation Armys Hope in the City Breakfast presented by Rogers Wireless photos by CIBC-PacBluePrinting and RonSombilonGallery-109.jpg by RON SOMBILON MEDIA, ART and PHOTOGRAPHY, CC BY-ND 2.0