Fred and Elaine, globetrotting Salvation Army heroes, heading home

Leek couple have provided help all over the world

WHEN Fred and Elaine Eardley decided to become Salvation Army Officers 25 years ago they had no idea of the things they’d see and the experiences they’d have over the decades to come.

The couple, who have been married for 45 years, lived in Leek before they sold their home to fund two years of training in London to join the charitable organisation that provides support in over 120 countries across the globe.

They have travelled the world carrying out work including picking up the pieces after the London bombings, helping Haiti recover from the 2010 earthquake and providing support at Princess Diana’s funeral.

This month the couple, both aged 64, are returning to Staffordshire to work at a local Salvation Army.

Fred previously worked at Michelin while Elaine was a lecturer at Newcastle College and the couple have three children and three grandchildren.

For their tireless work over the years they have been nominated for The Sentinel’s Our Heroes Award in the People First category by their daughter Karen Eardley.

Fred said: “We had all the trappings of modern life, a big house in Leek, nice car. We had raised our girls to teenagers and felt that God now wanted us to do something different.”

So they left Staffordshire and embarked on two years of training in London. From there they trained for a further five years on the job, travelling to locations such as Congo, Zambia and back to Yorkshire.

Fred said: “Over 25 years we have lived in 16 different homes. Some places we went to were really dangerous but we knew we were making a difference and changing people’s lives. It was a vastly different way of life, no cars, no running water and no electricity.

“People in this country really don’t realise how lucky they are. If I was in a car crash tomorrow it would all be free, but in places like Congo, if no one finds you or you don’t have family to look after you, you don’t get the help. That’s why the Salvation Army is always out looking for people who are injured so they can take them on and look after them.

“We have worked in blind schools, hospitals, boarding schools, all owned by the Salvation Army. I tended to deal a lot with finances and admin, whilst Elaine sorted things like food, water and mattresses for people in need.

“The Salvation Army is the fourth or fifth emergency service. When there are big disasters, such as Grenfell, we have a mobile canteen like they had in the war. We provide sustenance and nourishment. We were there at the London bombings too, for 17 days on Russell Square.”

When the 2010 earthquake hit Haiti, Fred - without Elaine - was one of the first people on the ground picking up the pieces.

He said: “We got there on January 18 and it had only happened a few days before. It was all very raw. I knew French from working at Michelin so that was very important whilst I was there.”

Despite their years of working in disaster zones the couple say they have never seen anything quite like the current pandemic.

Fred said: “The Salvation Army has continued to operate, despite churches being closed and we have been continuing to give out hot meals and food parcels.

“We don’t judge. We can see all kinds of people seeking food parcels, those that you would expect and then you see people turning up in Range Rovers and Mercedes. It can happen to anyone.

“We have dealt with all of humanity’s problems. The Salvation Army have a very good wellbeing department and we have both been diagnosed with PTSD, but you just get on with it.”

The couple return to Stoke-on-trent on July 17 and plan to spend two years making a difference locally before retiring.

Fred added: “This will give us a chance to reconnect with family members and friends that we haven’t seen for a while.

“It has been tough but we have also had so many fabulous experiences. We have been to places and done things that we’d never have been able to do if we had stayed in Staffordshire.”