Commonwealth Games, IHQ exhibition, early education in Rwanda and Christmas in July
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Pastoral care, hospitality and support in Glasgow
Salvation Army teams joined in a shared Christian outreach during the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, from 23 July-2 August.
More than 3000 athletes from 74 nations and territories competed in the international event – a 10-day celebration of sporting excellence. The games spanned four venues and 10 sporting disciplines, including six para-sports.
Glasgow City Centre Corps was a hub for Glasgow Churches Together, a team that included Glasgow City Mission, Glasgow Street Pastors and Sports Chaplaincy UK. Throughout the Games, the hall was open from 10am to 6pm with refreshments and opportunities to rest, recharge and socialise.
“We have a huge team here,” explains manager Harry McCafferty, just prior to the Games opening. “If you include the paid staff and the volunteers, we have about 95 people! As well as helping with refreshments, we’ll be able to provide clothing, because people coming might not have the right items for the weather.”
“It’s targeted at athletes if they haven’t got the right clothes or need somewhere to meet their family,” says corps leader Captain Ian Arthur. “I have experience as a sports chaplain, which will be helpful. Sports Chaplaincy UK delivers chaplaincy to the Games, but the chaplaincy teams will be able to bring any athletes here if they need a quiet space.”
Representatives from Employment Plus were also present at the hall, along with other Salvation Army services. ‘Good News for Everyone’ staff were giving out Bibles.
Glasgow Street Pastors usually patrol the streets on a Friday and Saturday from 10pm to 4am but extended their shifts to cover afternoons and early evenings during the Games.
“Our teams were armed with maps, ponchos, phone chargers, a friendly smile and the desire to show the love of God to everyone they meet,” said Elizabeth Lacey from Govan Corps, who is the coordinator for Glasgow Street Pastors.
Hospitality, pastoral support and wraparound services were part of The Salvation Army’s involvement in the recent Commonwealth Games.
“Shieldy was also out on the streets, along with water, leaflets and the 18 July edition of Kids Alive! (The Salvation Army’s UKI children’s magazine), which featured the Commonwealth Games,” said Commissioner Ivor Telfer,
“We went to all the Games locations and had opportunities to chat and really be visible.
“The extent of The Salvation Army’s work is a great secret to most people,” Ivor continued. “The Salvation Army is present in the majority of the Commonwealth. At the hall, we had a 30-minute video showing the Army’s work playing on one of the TVs.”
Working with Churches Together, The Salvation Army also helped provide sermons and children’s stories and prayers for churches to use.
‘Move of Hope’ exhibition opens at IHQ
The Salvation Army’s international Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Response team has launched an exhibition of its work in Gallery 101 at International Headquarters (IHQ), London.
Unveiled on 30 July 2026, the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, ‘Move of Hope’ brings together stories from across The Salvation Army world.
Through the experiences of survivors and the communities supporting them, the exhibition demonstrates that freedom is possible when people choose compassion over indifference and action over silence.
“Survivors are not defined by what happened to them. They are defined by their strength, their dignity and their future," said Priscilla Santos, International Coordinator for Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Response, at the opening.
For more information and personal testimonies from victim survivors, click here.
For more information about The Salvation Army’s international work to end modern-slavery and human-trafficking, click here.
Rwanda: Strengthening childhood education
For 49 years, The Salvation Army World Service Office (SAWSO) has been helping individuals, families, and communities around the world address the physical, social and economic challenges they face. Engaged in more than $50 million worth of active projects, SAWSO helps by employing a holistic, faith-based and community-focused approach to meet the needs of those in poverty.
In 2025, SAWSO delivered $50 million across 152 projects in 69 countries, working through The Salvation Army’s global network in 134 countries.
In Rubuye, a coordinated early-learning initiative is improving the quality and safety of preschool education across 11 under-served communities. An initial assessment identified significant gaps: untrained teaching staff, unregistered centres, inadequate and unsafe facilities, limited inclusion for children with disabilities, lack of child-sized furniture and unstructured meal preparation.
To address these needs, SAWSO, in partnership with international and local branches of The Salvation Army, partnered with parents, parent teacher associations and the local government to upgrade the infrastructure and strengthen school management.
The project resulted in safer classrooms, 20 trained early childhood education teachers and a new selection of age-appropriate furniture. It also created inclusive learning spaces and introduced standardised feeding systems that meet basic health and safety requirements.
More than 300 children now attend preschools in Rwanda that meet minimum international standards for learning, protection and development.
Improved attendance and classroom readiness indicate early gains in educational outcomes.
Christmas comes early
For the first time, The Salvation Army US celebrated Christmas in July by bringing Red Kettles to Walmart locations across the country.
Officers, employees and volunteers rang the bells throughout the month to raise funds that help provide food, shelter and other essentials to neighbours in need all year long.
Thank you to Walmart for supporting this initiative, and to everyone who stopped by and gave at a kettle. Your generosity makes a real difference for your neighbours in need.
The bells will be ringing again before you know it!
