Social Justice lectures

The Salvation Army is holding the second in its series of social justice lectures with John Denham, the Labour Party candidate for Southampton, Itchen and Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

Friday 23rd April 2010, 2pm to 3pm
The Booth Centre,
57 Oxford Street,
Southampton S014 3DL

If you would like any more information please contact:

mailto:RSVPtopublic.affairs@salvationarmy.org.uk

01 March 2010: 'Giving each child a fair chance': Nick Clegg MP launches Salvation Army Social Justice Lectures

The importance of education and creating fairness in British society were set out by Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg today in a speech to The Salvation Army.

Speaking at the church and charity's UK and Ireland Territorial Headquarters in London* to an invited audience of 150 leaders and innovators from the third sector and Salvation Army leaders, staff and service users, Nick Clegg MP set out the importance of early years education in tacking inequality and called for parents and schools to work together to ensure children get the best possible start in life.

The Liberal Democrat Leader was launching the first in a series of Social Justice Lectures with senior politicians from across the political spectrum hosted by The Salvation Army.

Mr Clegg began his speech by acknowledging the reach of The Salvation Army, which he has witnessed first-hand. Referring to a recent opportunity to go on the streets with The Salvation Army in his Sheffield Hallam constituency, Mr Clegg recognised the work undertaken to reach 'right into the most distressing, most hidden, parts of our society where you help people without judgement, without prejudice, without expectation. An ethos which represents the best side of all of us.'

He praised The Salvation Army's Seeds of Exclusion research programme** as 'enormously revealing in terms of the complex relationships between the different forces that lead to social exclusion.' He said his party shared a simple principle with The Salvation Army and similar organisations - that the fortunes of someone's life should not be decided at their birth.

'A person's fate shouldn't be settled by their sex, their colour, their postcode, or their parents' bank balance. In a fair society no one can tell you to lower your sights because - no matter how hard you try - the things you dream of somehow aren't for you.'

He later added: 'Our big task now is giving people back their hope. It's something the Salvation Army does every day with people who have problems with drink or drugs, women escaping violent relationships, prisoners coming to terms with their pasts. It's how you help people turn their lives around. We're only going to turn this country around if we do the same and make people believe it is possible.'

Lieut-Colonel Marion Drew, Secretary for Communications for The Salvation Army, said: "This was an unprecedented opportunity to hear from one of our nation's major political leaders as we approach the run-up to a general election. As a charity, The Salvation Army is politically neutral so and we are offering each of the major political parties an opportunity to share their vision for social justice."

The speech was followed by a short question and answer session.

The full text of Nick Clegg's speech is available online at: www.nickclegg.com