Salvation Army officers give 'token of appreciation' to Bognor Regis retailers

Salvation Army officers fundraising in the Bognor Regis town centre spread some Christmas cheer last Saturday (December 11).

Alongside the army's traditional brass band, volunteers also paid tribute to the essential workers staffing our shops, cafes and supermarkets.

"We went to every shop and gave the staff a token of appreciation for all their work throughout the pandemic," said Major Alexandra Hughes, a spokeswoman for the Bognor Regis Salvation Army.

The officers gave shop keepers 'thank-you' posters and bags of sweets to commend their hard work; a small gesture, but one which meant a lot to Bognor's High Street staff.

"(The staff) were all so delighted and moved, they seemed so glad to be valued and appreciated," Major Hughes.

"What they do is essential work, they're a really important part of the situation. What we did was just a small token, but it means a lot."

Edinburgh Woollen Mill, on London Road, was one of the shops visited by Salvation Army officers, and manager Jacqui Lemaitre said staff were delighted by the visit.

"The Salvation Army do such a lot of good work anyway, and the fact that they thought of us was really quite special," she said.

"I think the staff really appreciated the gesture. People forget that we're stood up wearing a mask for eight hours a day, which is quite demanding, and we're working in quite difficult conditions. We've also got families we want to protect at home.

"It was very very sweet of them."

To find out more about the Bognor Regis Salvation Army, click here.