Territorial Leaders message from Canvey Island

Territorial Leaders Commissioners Jenine and Paul Main visit Stuff on the Bus, The Salvation Army’s fresh expression in Canvey Island. 

Commissioner Paul: Hello, we've come to Canvey Island. 

Commissioner Jenine: And we're here to see Stuff on the Bus. 

Commissioner Paul: Stuff on the Bus is a mobile community supermarket. The bus is full of food, toiletries and other essentials, which is sold at a discount to people who are struggling. The leaders here have big plans.  

I'm with Holly, and Holly is our pioneer leader here on Canvey Island. What's that? What is a pioneer leader? 

Pioneer Leader Holly Alberici (Canvey Island): Yes, so I’m the pioneer leader for Stuff on the Bus. This is The Salvation Army's new project, new fresh expression. So the bus is essentially, church in an unconventional way on a double decker bus that drives around Canvey. 

Commissioner Paul: Wow. So what happens on Stuff on the Bus? 

Holly: So people from around the island, from around the community, they come to the bus, they sign up for £5 a year to get a membership card, and then they're able to shop as if they were in a supermarket at everything at about 30 per cent to 40 per cent cheaper than your cheapest supermarkets. 

Commissioner Jenine: Canvey island is a seaside community on the northern edge of the Thames Estuary in Essex. The town has areas of deprivation, where people are finding it hard to make ends meet. 

Woman 1: It just bridges the gap for us between the supermarket and the food bank. I was using the food bank quite a lot because the money just doesn't stretch, so it bridges the gap and it helps out lots and lots of families as you can see on Canvey. 

Woman 2: I've got a little bit of anxiety as well, so going around the supermarkets sometimes can be a struggle, so coming on here it's not so busy. The staff are so friendly, they're happy to help. It just makes your day brighter, because they’re all so welcoming.  

Woman 3: These people in there are amazing, you know, and if you request anything they will try and get it for you. My favorite thing is the gravy bones for my dog. So yeah, they will do it for you. The best thing I've ever done is coming here. Oh, you’re making me cry! 

Commissioner Paul: It's not just food provision on the bus. On the top deck, there's a space for individual support and The Salvation Army's Employment Plus service attend frequently to support people struggling to find work. 

Man 1: Now I'm currently out of work, have been for well over a year, because I went through major ill health. 

Employment Development Co-ordinator Ann Reddings (East of England): We’re here to support Stuff on the Bus, and it's helping people with things like employment, money management, digital inclusion. Come into The Salvation Army, you know, you can trust us, and we will do our best to help you. 

Commissioner Paul: The bus is mostly run by volunteers. Some of them were customers when it first opened, like Paul and Chantelle. 

Chantelle: It's fun. It's fun! 

Paul: It’s very rewarding.  

Chantelle: Yeah, it’s rewarding to see how much people appreciate what we're doing and what The Salvation Army are doing to help the community. 

Commissioner Jenine: There's obviously a great need for this, Wendy, in this area, but tell us about the bigger picture in the community. 

Emerging Mission Officer Captain Wendy Watkins (Hadleigh Hub): Stuff on the Bus is part of the fresh expression of The Salvation Army on Canvey Island. So yes, we have this wonderful community supermarket, but we have a building as well. And in our building we are running a family hub for children and parents to just kind of come and be together in a safe space. And ultimately these things will lead to a new worshipping community of The Salvation Army. 

Commissioner Jenine: What a great project. So inspiring. It's so much more than a mobile discount store. And using the double decker bus makes it really visible. It's exciting to see God at work here and the connections and relationships being built. We're delighted to see this and we know there are plenty of other examples of new ministry initiatives happening around the territory. 

Woman 2: See you later. Bye. Take care. 

Commissioner Paul: What does it mean to you, Holly? What are you getting out of it? 

Holly: I'm so proud of it. I absolutely love it. Just seeing the difference that this makes for people. I’ve made loads of new friendships in my volunteers, loads of new friendships in the customers.  

Commissioner Jenine: Wendy, what would you say to other people who are wanting to do something different for The Salvation Army in their area? 

Captain Wendy: I think be bold and be faithful to what God has asked you to do. 

Commissioner Jenine: Brilliant. Thank you very much.