The stars of Salvation Army social services work have received national awards to recognise their work for the church and charity organisation.

To see a video of the event, please click here. 

Centres of excellence and staff who go the extra mile to help older and homeless people from across the UK and Ireland were celebrated at the church and charity's annual social services gathering at the Hayes Conference Centre, Derbyshire.

Winners collected their awards from The Salvation Army's Territorial Commander Commissioner John Matear cheered on by an audience of 300 social service directors, centre managers, project workers and service users.

Prizes were given in two categories: LifeHouse Awards named after The Salvation Army's new term for ‘hostels' to recognise outstanding centres and staff working in homelessness services and, for the first year, Older People's Awards to recognise best practice in Salvation Army homes and day centres.

The compere for the ceremony, The Salvation Army's secretary for programme Lieut-Colonel Ian Barr, said: ‘This evening is about rewarding excellence and innovation in centres and to thank staff for the gifts, skills and generosity of spirit and faith they bring to working with people during difficult times.

‘Our Awards in Older People's Services encourage and recognise the very best services and programmes we can offer people who are deserving of the best love and care that is available. It is a privilege to offer services to people who have made tremendous contributions to their families, to their communities and, in some instances, to their countries.'

He added: ‘Our LifeHouse Awards rightly give the spotlight to centres and staff who have pulled out all the stops to add value to their service and create real, quantifiable outcomes for homeless people. The quality of entries from 97 Salvation Army homelessness services around the UK and Ireland was outstanding and there are more multiple winners of awards than before as the standard was so high.'

Judged by an independent panel of experts in the older people and homelessness sector, 97 Salvation Army homeless services that include 83 LifeHouses, 17 care homes and three day car centres for older people, and more than 1,000 staff in the UK and Republic of Ireland were eligible for nomination by Salvation Army employees, service users, and by independent local community groups in 17 award categories.

A LifeHouse centre reviled by its neighbouring community nine years ago that responded in a Christian way through its HOPE community regeneration scheme, a centre manager that helps people to look at the stars and an older people's day centre that survived rumours of closure to increase the number of people who attend were among the winners.

The Eva Burrows Day Centre in Glasgow Despite was named Day Centre of the Year in the Older People's Awards having gone from strength to strength after some initial uncertainly about its future when the adjacent care home closed more than three years ago. The Day Centre has not only remained operational but has developed its programme and increased the number of services users who attend. The centre and The Salvation Army is delighted it now shares the site with the new First Stop Homelessness Project which opened in January this year.

Christine Tait of Swan Lodge, Sunderland was awarded Centre Manager of the Year for having the rare gift of seeing every soul who comes through the door and finding the one thing that is going to re-ignite the passion in their heart. She has an infectious enthusiasm that means residents don't think twice about changing their lives, trying new ideas, and believing in themselves. Through Christine's management service users have become project workers, run the allotment and gardening project, accompany the bobbies on the best, organise fun nights and events, go fishing and even look at the stars.

Witham Lodge in Skegness and Devonport House in Plymouth centres were chosen as joint winners of the LifeHouse of the Year award in an open vote by delegates at The Salvation Army's social services conference. Both centres were seen to embody the vision of a LifeHouse, The Salvation Army's new term for hostel, which a centre that is more than a place to stay and goes beyond the standards required by funders to help service users develop purpose and relationships - which The Salvation Army sees as crucial to turning someone's life around.