Derek and Helen Tyrrell, the newly appointed Commanding Officers at the Govan Citadel of the Salvation Army, have great plans for Govan and its residents.

The Majors were installed recently, taking over from Major David Radford who has moved to Nottingham. After settling in a bit to his new post, Major DerekTyrrel spoke exclusively to the LOCAL NEWS.

On his arrival in Govan, he says he was shocked and disappointed at how poor the area was and how the Army seemed to be disconnected from the rest of the community.

He plans to change that. First, the 126 year old hall which he considers is beyond repair, would be demolished to make way for a new two story building on the same site. The main prayer hall in the current Grade ‘B’ listed building can only accommodate 300 people.

A new hall is planned to accommodate 500 people on the second floor. This would also be available to let for other functions.

The ground floor at the back of the building would be converted into a children’s play area and crèche.

A ground floor café would provide meals for pensioners and there would be a drop-in centre for the homeless. This would replace the Salvation Cafe and shop in Burleigh Street which served the people of Govan for 25 years before it was closed last Christmas because it was losing money and was not up to current health and safety requirements.

Counsellors would be available in the new facility, to help those with drink or drug problems. And there would be secure car parking. Plans also include a charity shop selling clothes and furniture.
The cost of Major Tyrrell’s plans will be around £2million.

He said, ‘Despite the bad state Govan is in, we still love it and all the people here. Our dream can only be achieved by working and involving local residents, organisations and businesses. We also need to get the support of Glasgow City Council, the Scottish Government and other funding bodies to raise these funds. I will be using the past 20 years’ experience that I gained raising money for similar projects all over Britain. I am very confident of having a proposal ready by April 2008.’

Major Tyrrell (60), comes from East London and worked in insurance before joining the Salvation Army as a soldier. He has been a Major for the past 15 years and worked as a public relations officer at the Army’s HQ in London. He has also worked all over Britain and in many countries around the world.

Prior to their Govan posting, the couple were in Estonia, part of the old Russian bloc, for four years. ‘Estonia is still a developing country with a lot of poverty and social problems such as HIV,’ said Major Tyrrell.

He added, ‘The people here are more friendly and open. We hope to replicate the idea that worked in Estonia of giving hope and love to the local people by providing a centre which is open to everyone of any culture. His motto is: “With a heart to God! With a hand to man!”

Under the Govan regeneration plan, one option proposed for Golspie Street, where the Citadel is based, is to make it into a tree lined street with no parking. This would be problematic for the Salvation Army because they need secure parking.

If the Major’s proposals are rejected, then the Army may have to leave the area. They cannot afford to buy  land or property in Govan as prices are so high. The current building is not good enough to be sold on and has to be demolished.