An Angus architect’s six-figure lifeline legacy to the Salvation Army in Angus has helped propel the vital work being done in the district to a global audience.
At the beginning of this year, and with future service provision under severe financial scrutiny, the organisation in the north of Scotland received one of its largest bequests of recent times in the will of Forfar-born Robert Saddler.
His professional legacy included architectural work on Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Gardens, St George’s church in Charlotte Street and Waverley telephone exchange but it was the £850,000 he left to further the services of the Salvation Army in his home area which has generated major interest.
In February, the Salvation Army’s Community Care Service in Angus said the windfall could not have come at a better time, and local team leader Major Jim McCluskey yesterday said the focus the generous gesture had brought to Angus had been significant.
“The uptake on this story was quite phenomenal and it has created a real buzz in and beyond the Salvation Army, particularly in the US,” said Major McCluskey.
“In the latest issue of a Caring magazine produced… in the US there is a feature about Mr Saddler’s legacy and the work we are doing in Angus that will go to a massive audience.
“It is exceptionally good news for us because it means more people are looking at what we do, how we do it, how we fund it and how they may be able to take on ideas and adapt them to their own situation.Massive audience”We are delighted, as it lets a massive audience see the Salvation Army’s interest in people and how that works at local level in a community like Angus.
“This international interest is also a wonderful reflection of the professionalism and dedication of our 11 staff because they carry this through for our 200 service users across Angus.
“The legacy has given us a security we didn’t have before, but it’s also created a real buzz about the work we are doing in Angus.”
He also revealed that Mr Saddler’s bequest will soon support a vital expansion of the district-wide provision.
“We are almost at the point of advertising for a befriender whose role will be as both a practitioner and someone who can develop a befriending service here in Angus.
“Since we started here in 1997 we have befriended people, but we have had an ambition to take this idea further and this will come under our chaplaincy which was set up in the last couple of years to bring our services closer to our users.
“It will allow the befriender to do more than just do shopping or pay bills for those we see it will enable them to establish a deeper, more meaningful relationship with service users.
“We are trying to take a more holistic approach to our service users and this will be another major step forward in that aim.
“The legacy was a godsend, it could not have come at a better time and we see the benefits it can bring in Angus and the wider focus from across the world.”