Book Launch at the Edinburgh Prison Visitors Centre

The Edinburgh Prison Visitors Centre at HMP Edinburgh, has launched a new series of information books, written by children for children. The books are aimed at helping make visits easier and less distressing. There are three books in the series - 'Visiting Dad', 'Visiting Mum' and 'A Parents Guide'

The Scottish Government minister Aileen Campbell, Minister for Children and Young People, attended the recent launch at the Visitors Centre.

Ms Campbell MSP agreed the booklets were a fantastic idea and said: "I'd like to thank The Salvation Army and Scottish Prison Service for all their work in creating them."

The Edinburgh Prison Visitor Centre was initiated and funded by the Onward Trust and has been in operation from the early 2000’s. Firstly the WRVS managed the facility, but from mid-2004 The Salvation Army took on this contractual role in relation to the management of the centre on behalf of the Onward Trust and has been involved in this way over the last 10 years. Every year around 50,000 people, 8,000 of them children, pass through the Centre.

Life changing?

In recent years there have been several changes in the way we operate our Social Service provision.

We no longer have dormitory hostels, moving towards individual rooms in Lifehouses. A hand out has become a hand up with personal dignity ranking high in terms of how we deal with those who need our assistance. There are challenges that come with this - not least that of funding our ever increasingly costly programmes.

But what is the greater cost? The provision of roof and mattress or the risk of someone dying (and people still do) on the streets of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen?

Within The Salvation Army in Scotland an focus has been given in an aggressive way through providing high quality social ministry which is truly life changing. the work of the Floating Support Service based in Greenock, or the SHIELD project in Aberdeenshire are two great examples of mission and ministry as they enable people with chaotic and addicted lifestyles to remain in their own tenancy.

Our LifeHouses across Scotland provide food shelter and warmth - and spiritual challenge to those who need it.

The meeting Scotland Drug and Alcohol Strategy is ground breaking and life changing and is gaining respect far beyond The Salvation Army.

Add to this the raising of the spiritual bar in all of our social centres and we have a truly life changing social mission as defined in the Mission Scotland Mandate.

How are you and your corps / fellowship involved in serving stuffing humanity?