Officers moving to Wellington
Invercargill Salvation Army corps officers captains Annette and Perry Bray are leaving Invercargill.
After a six-year posting in the city, the couple is being assigned to Wellington central by the Salvation Army starting on January 10.
They arrived in Invercargill in 2013 off the back of a two-year stint in Christchurch where they were helping in aftermath of the Christchurch earthquakes.
Annette said when they came here they thought their days of dealing with problem buildings were over but on their first day the couple was told there were issues with the Salvation Army’s Tay St buildings.
In their time the Brays have built up a solid operation and brought together all the services the salvation army provides in a one-stop shop at their building on the corner of Leven St, opposite the prison.
One of the big success they have had in their time was helping the community with transitional housing, Annette said.
The Invercargill Salvation Army would put people up in temporary accommodation and then helped them transition to their own place, whether that is by renting or owning, she said.
Perry said it was the people, including those they have helped and those they have come to know, they will most when they leave Invercargill.
They were confident the new officers would embrace Invercargill operation and make it their own, the couple said.
The Brays leave Invercargill on December 27.