Rotary Club's grand gesture

Pictured are the the Salvation Army team, Kim Rogers, Estelle Blake and Bobbi Trelfa, together with Rotary President Jon Stocker and the Club Community lead Ian Brett

Community driven Saddleworth Rotary Club made a £1,000 donation to The Salvation Army after hearing the harrowing plight of Fitton Hill families in their care.

The heart-warming gesture came after Rotary members were presented with a bleak picture of a worsening financial situation affecting residents in the area.

The Salvation Army has been active in Fitton Hill for 22 years.

The area has three primary schools and a secondary school, and it's where pupils and parents need support because of increased cost of food and school uniforms.

Parents are facing increasing difficulty in meeting the cost of essential school uniforms, to the extent that choices between food and uniform are not uncommon.

The Salvation Army intends to create a 'uniform sale/exchange hub' in Fitton Hill, the first of its kind in Oldham.

They want to collect used uniforms and purchase new ones to hand on to those in need.

This may be at a reduced cost or free, with each case being dealt with on an individual merits.

The Salvation Army has also set up a system to feed children lunches and, despite a grant from Oldham Council to meet the costs, they want to offer breakfast as an additional meal.

In previous years, 90 per cent of the Salvation Army clients have been children under 12 years, but today 50 per cent of clients are poor working families.

In  addition to food and uniforms, they offer a holiday club and childrens activities in the summer.

The £1,000 Saddleworth Rotary Club donation will be split equally between the uniform hub and breakfast club.

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