The most vulnerable people in Aberdeen have lost a lifeline place of refuge as the Citadel Salvation Army base recovers from Storm Babet.
Fears of isolation for the Granite City’s poorest have escalated after the Aberdeen Salvation Army base was forced to close due to severe flood damage.
The centre is filled by some users up to four times a week for food and warmth.
Those that use the service were dismayed after seeing a social media post from the Salvation Army centre that it was closed.
It means that several important services used to feed those most in need have been cancelled since.
It includes multiple coffee afternoons, bible studies, choir and community hub meetings.
However, an alternative worship has been scheduled at the charity’s Woodside centre on Sunday.
The centre was forced to shut after floodwater from last week’s adverse weather conditions made its way into the basement.
It triggered a fault with the electric panelling which resulted in a loss of power for the full facility and no running water.
This is a cause for concern for Major Peter Henshaw, commanding officer at the Aberdeen Citadel Salvation Army, who said he ‘worried’ for the Granite City’s most vulnerable.
He said: “Unfortunately, water has flooded into the basement of the citadel onto the electric panelling.
“The panel controls the water pumps and the boilers which means that there is no heating in the facility, and no water.
“We can’t even flush toilets, that is why we had to close.
“Sadly our community hub is not able to open and all room hire in the Citadel had to be cancelled.
“We have managed to arrange an alternative venue for Sunday worship thankfully.
“We have people who usually come into the hub very week, up to four times for food and for company which helps to break social isolation.
“It is a worry that they may suffer from further isolation since shutting down.
“This is the case for many of our volunteers who give up their time and without them we could not run our community programmes.
“We are working hard to reopen soon”
“I’m glad that we could at least provide another venue for worship on Sunday at the Divisional Headquarters in Woodside.
“Hopefully we see most of our congregation at the worship.
“The telephone is being manned Monday to Wednesday from 9am to 3pm and all emails are being answered.
“The Salvation Army are working hard to resolve the situation and we hope to reopen soon.
It is unknown at this time when the Citadel base will reopen to users.
A spokesperson for the Salvation Army said: “The situation is being assessed throughout this week with the hope of opening next week, so hopefully we will be back up and running soon.”
