Lethbridge Park Salvos a rock of stability in a vulnerable community
- deansimpson7
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 22 hours ago
BY LAUREN MARTIN
It’s Thursday morning at Lethbridge Park Salvos in Sydney’s Greater West, and a flurry of activity is underway.
Auxiliary-Lieutenant Josh Vince leads a group of volunteers as they set up tables for the morning food market and community lunch.
Laughter drifts from the kitchen as a team of four dedicated retirees cooks butter chicken from that week’s donated food supplies.
Outside, volunteer Frank fires up the coffee van’s machine and gets ready for the gates of the compound to be opened.
Everything is all set for another busy day.
It’s always a busy day at Lethbridge Park Salvos.
Nestled among some of Sydney’s most disadvantaged suburbs, Lethbridge Park has an above-average unemployment rate and a median household income of just $1411 per week, which falls below the national average. Many residents rely on government benefits. The Urban Living Index ranks Lethbridge Park/Tregear as the most disadvantaged area in metropolitan Sydney.
“I was scared when housing [NSW Housing] called me and told me they had a place for me here,” says Sara, a volunteer with Lethbridge Park Salvos.
She and her two children moved to the suburb five years ago after fleeing an abusive relationship. They left with nothing and lived in supported transitional housing during the COVID-19 lockdowns. “No fridge, no lounge, no beds, nothing … we got told to come to Lethbridge Park Salvation Army to get help.
“From then on, we were just welcomed back to get more help and assistance when we needed it. Especially being a single mum in an area that is notorious for safety issues … it’s nice to be here [at The Salvation Army],” she says.
Reviving the corps Auxiliary-Lieutenant Lorelle Vince remembers being appointed to Lethbridge Park in 2018 and arriving to find the building covered in graffiti, on a property surrounded by a tall, barbed-wire fence.
“We would tell people we worked for The Salvation Army in Lethbridge Park and people would say, ‘Isn’t that an abandoned building?’” she says.
The Lethbridge Park Centre, historically an outpost of St Marys Corps, had been run by volunteers, with The Salvation Army’s Moneycare financial counsellors working there 1-2 days a week for many years. Josh and Lorelle were tasked with creating a new missional community at the centre.
They quickly got to know other service providers in the area and began collaborating with ‘Together in 2770’ – a community initiative involving multiple place-based organisations and schools that invites locals to be part of positive change in the communities of postcode 2770.
The connections led to a partner organisation, The Hive, organising a painting working bee on their building in May 2018, giving it a ‘fresh start’. Later, renovations opened up the building to allow more light in and create spaces that facilitated better community connections. The barbed-wire fencing was replaced with high-quality fence panels and an electric gate for the carpark.
Josh and Lorelle, as part of their involvement in ‘Together in 2770’, then held a community forum for Lethbridge Park. “We asked what people wanted to see here,” says Josh. “This helped us form a plan with a focus on community safety and infrastructure, and activities for young people.”
Now, Lethbridge Park Salvos is open 5-6 days a week, offering a mix of Salvation Army-run services, programs, and connection activities, as well as hosting other services and organisations in the space.
The ministry isn’t confined to the building. Josh and Lorelle are frequently found at nearby public schools, assisting with or running breakfast programs, chatting with people around their coffee van, supporting community members in getting to and from medical appointments, or accompanying them to court.
They assist community members in accessing additional services and support, including the NSW Government EAPA program, Sorry Business Funeral Transport, Salvation Army alcohol and other drug services, Youth and Moneycare programs, and the local ‘Together in 2770’ initiative CUBS (Check-Ups Before School).
“Our vision is that people would be free from addiction, family violence and poverty,” says Lorelle, explaining that she and Josh offer a ministry of ‘presence’: “Being there consistently, with people knowing that they can be vulnerable and open and that there is assistance there when they are ready to make a positive change in their lives.”
For volunteer Sara, that assistance came at just the right time. Now, she is a committed volunteer, and she and her kids participate in numerous Salvation Army initiatives at Lethbridge Park.
“I run the intergenerational group, which is a group for people of all ages to come together to share their stories and experiences and to create new hobbies,” she says. “Community lunch on a Thursday is a big one [that I help with] and making sure that community members have food to take home to their families – that’s a really big thing that I feel good about.
“And Friday morning coffees is really important because it gives the kids a hot chocolate and that gives them an incentive to come to school on a Friday.”
She says that since she started volunteering with The Salvation Army at Lethbridge Park, she has been feeling more positive and believes she has a purpose. “Being here is helping me to be more productive and be a better person.”
Josh and Lorelle are looking for Christian volunteers with a passion for people to serve alongside them at Lethbridge Park to give hope. If you are interested in learning more, email Josh: Joshua.vince@salvationarmy.org.au
