UK Salvationists Live 'Below The Line'

SALVATION Army leaders in the UK Territory with the Republic of Ireland have stepped up to the line in the fight against poverty by choosing to 'Live Below the Line' – not spending more than £1 a day – for five days. Colonels Brian and Rosalie Peddle (Chief Secretary and Territorial Secretary for Women's Ministries) took on the challenge in May.

Colonel Brian Peddle writes: 'We’ve chosen to support this campaign, of which The Salvation Army International Development (UK) is a major partner, because there are around 1.4 billion people who are forced to survive everyday on less than £1 a day. This amount is enough for some rice, vegetables, cooking fuel and clean water to make two basic meals. Then there is approximately 10p left over for everything else in life – housing, transportation, education, clothes, healthcare and anything else they might need to survive.'

The scheme also seeks to raise funds for The Salvation Army International Development UK's GENERATION project which, says the colonel, 'offers loans to those who need them most to create small business, which will ultimately generate income and end the cycle of extreme poverty'.

According to the website www.livebelowtheline.org.uk/SAIDUK 263 people have so far signed up to Live Below the Line, including Sarah Tomkinson, who took the scheme a step further and lived on £1 a day throughout Lent.

Sarah wrote about her experiences in the UK Salvation Army weekly newspaper Salvationist. She says: 'I have seen a glimpse into a completely different understanding of life. Where you eat to survive not for enjoyment, when food becomes about filling your stomach rather than a social time or a happy time, it’s a completely different mindset!'

For more information, go to The Salvation Army International Development UK website.