Episode 1 Paul O'Grady: The Sally Army and Me

My childhood ambition was to play the drum in the Salvation Army and work in a dry cleaner's.

I've done neither of them.

'I was a young lad when I first saw the Salvation Army band

'playing outside Woolies at Christmas.'

There you are, thank you, God bless!

'And now, 150 years after they were founded...'

Oh, here we go!

'..I want to discover who they really are and what they do.'

Vegetable soup.

'I'm going to work with the officers and the volunteers who have

'dedicated their lives to helping others.'

-That was fantastic.

-Did you enjoy that?

Oh, it was wonderful.

'But what does it take to be part of God's Army?'

Get your dogs in the bowl then, girl.

Come on, I'll give them a swill. You're welcome.

'I'll find out as I hit the road with them.'

If it hadn't have worked out for me, I could be in your position now.

-'Here in Britain...'

-You're welcome.

Look at the size of him.

'..and abroad...' Too much.

'..I meet the people whose lives wouldn't quite be the same

'without them.'

I wasn't scared of dying, I was scared of living.

There's only two options for yourself in that life.

It's either, God forbid, you die or go to jail.

CHEERING

You're all good. 'And if I make it through all that...'

-I don't look like a bus conductor, do I?

-Not even slightly.

-No?

'..I'll get to wear a special Salvation Army outfit

'and lead the band down London's Oxford Street.'

The reason I've chosen the Salvation Army is

because I think most people think the Salvation Army just stand

outside chemists' at Christmas rattling a tin

and banging their drum, which, of course, isn't the case.

There's a lot more to them than that, and I wanted to get under

the skin, and that's why I wanted to do this series.

We are a strange alliance, but somehow it works.

To become part of the Salvation Army is no easy task.

It takes godliness, humility, and most of all, the ability to

put other people's needs before your own.

I've got my hands full.

Do I believe in God? Oh, dear.

HE EXHALES

I don't know.

Some people believe blindly. I can't, you see.

You know, I have to know. So, I don't know.

I really can't answer that question.

I'd like to say I believed in God.

Some days I do, some days I don't, although these days I think

if I went to confession, you'd probably need a team of priests working through

the night, with an exorcist thrown in there somewhere along the line.

This is the William Booth College, the Salvation Army headquarters, and

it's where up to 100 cadets a year train to become officers.

Captain Joan Wire is one of 12 full-time teachers here,

and she's been saddled with the unenviable task of teaching me

the ways of the Salvation Army.

Poor woman.

In the Salvation Army, becoming an officer is two years here,

residential.

Then there's five years more after that before you are affirmed

as an officer, so it's actually a seven-year training altogether.

-Hello!

-Hello, Captain Jo.

-Call me Jo.

Hi, Jo, Paul O'Grady, nice to meet you.

-Come on in.

-Oh, thank you.

Come through, come and have a cup of tea.

Oh, I'd love one. SHE LAUGHS

I'm so excited that you're here, though, it's going to be good.

Cheers, thank you. Say I was a complete neophyte

and knew nothing about the Salvation Army and I've just come

into you now and I've said, "So what, Jo, what do the Salvation Army do?"

One of our mottos is "Heart to God and hand to man",

and that's kind of, that kind of gives you the gist of who we are.

So it's a faith-based Christian group who believe we've got

to roll up our sleeves if we're going to reach people.

It's all well and good to kind of preach at people down like this,

"You're a terrible person." But actually what people need

is for someone to get down to where they are.

Our paths have crossed a lot in my lifetime, the Salvation Army.

When I left school I worked for the social security,

but we had a hostel nearby called 10 Norton Street. Long gone.

It was a hostel for homeless men, and I ended up volunteering in there.

When AIDS hit London, I'll never forget the Salvation Army,

because in the Westminster Hospital, and this was a time

when they had yellow tape across doors and you were expected

to wear a mask as protection because they didn't know anything about it,

and you frequently got nurses who wouldn't work on AIDS wards.

They'd say, "No." And who was there? The Salvation Army.

They really were amazing.

Seriously. So I've a lot of respect for the organisation.

We're an odd bunch, you do know that?

You do know that you're going to be spending time with some slightly weird people because...

Do you think I'm the full shilling? THEY LAUGH

Because we're... The things that we do,

they're not what people would expect us to do.

I think God's got a sense of humour with me because I think, some

mornings, the Virgin Mary goes in and says, "What's up with you?"

He's lying on the bed, he says, "I'm fed up." And she says, "I know,

"let's annoy Paul O'Grady."

I've got just three months to do my training with Jo.

I only hope I've got what it takes.

The Salvation Army were founded way back in 1865 by Methodist

preacher William Booth in response to the terrible

poverty that he saw around him.

He created a Christian charity organised like an army,

with military ranks, uniformed, marching in a band.

From these humble beginnings, the Salvation Army now operates

in 127 countries across the world, working with governments, charitable

organisations and communities, and helping people in need.

So it's no pressure, then!

Now, it's no secret that I want to play with the Sally Army band,

so before I start training for real, Jo has the perfect incentive.

I thought it might be nice

if you could see a band that you could guest with.

-So is this why I've been asked to bring my bugle?

-Yeah, this is the only church on Oxford Street,

and they happen to have a rather marvellous band.

-Really?

-I thought you could maybe come visit, see if you like them,

-play a few instruments.

-So they're going to let me loose with the band?

-Let's go and see what they say.

-Come on, then, Jo.

MUSIC: Give Me Joy In My Heart

The Salvation Army have more than 2,500 bands

and choirs around the world, including

the Regent Hall Band, who march down Oxford Street every Sunday.

Their musical groups have recorded countless CDs,

and they've even had a Eurovision song entry.

# When the times are getting rough... #

I won't mention how they scored, but let's just say, I hope I do better.

HE CHUCKLES

And this is them.

SHE LAUGHS

They're just brilliant.

I can't believe this.

THEY CHEER

THEY LAUGH

-Do you want to give it a go?

-I wouldn't mind, yeah.

-Come on, then.

-Are you ready for this?

Why are they all shaking their heads like that?

SHE LAUGHS

So, Steve's the bandmaster. Steve, this is Paul.

-Steve!

-Pleased to meet you.

-Pleasure to meet you. That was fantastic.

-You enjoy that?

-Oh, it was wonderful.

-Now, that looks interesting.

-You won't say that, Steve, when you've heard me.

-I want to hear it.

-Are you ready?

-Yeah, absolutely.

-Are you ready, guys?

-Don't look at me because I'll get embarrassed.

HE PLAYS REVEILLE

-Fantastic.

-He's got potential, he's definitely got potential.

-Absolutely.

Have you ever played anything else, any musical instrument?

-My dad used to be a drummer in an Irish band.

-Oh, really?

Yeah, and that's the instrument I'm sort of drawn to, the drums, I'll be honest with you.

Look at the size of this.

-Do you wear this and walk down the street?

-Absolutely.

I'd get about 200 yards

and then you'd have to call an ambulance.

I'm like a kid here in Hamleys.

THEY LAUGH

-Well, actually, it's not too bad.

-Just have to lean back.

I am... Like this. I'm having a baby.

Do you want to have a go at it?

There we go. It's fabulous. I've always wanted to do this, you know.

When I was a kid and I used to watch the Salvation Army band,

I was green with envy, green, at the drummer.

And my mum would say, "Go and ask him, can you have a go?"

-Marvellous.

-And is that all you do?

-That's all you do.

THEY LAUGH

On the march, obviously it's the drum that's the leader.

-Do you want to show?

-A double tap, bang, bang?

Quicker. Bang, bang, quicker. Yeah.

One, two, three, four, five.

THEY START PLAYING

Not yet. No! You're too early.

I've got a feeling I'm going to get a trombone in the back of my head.

-One, two. One, two.

-Yeah.

-One, two, three. No, one, two.

-Yeah.

-One, two. One, two, three, four, five.

That's it.

'Ah, I've got it!'

It's fantastic, I can't tell you. Absolutely fabulous.

-He's laughing at me.

-No, no, no.

THEY LAUGH

-Did you keep up with that?

-Yeah, just about.

You know what'll happen? We'll go down Oxford Street, they'll turn down Regent Street to

get away from me. And I'll be on my own going,...

I'm going to come back and have rehearsals with the band properly, because I'm determined to

sail down Oxford Street, leading that band, giving that drum what-for.

APPLAUSE

I think I'd be better off with a triangle, don't you?

I thoroughly enjoyed that, I'm high as a kite now.

That was better than sex. No, no, take that out.

PAUL LAUGHS

I keep forgetting where I am.

It's a lovely sunny morning, and it's the first day of my training.

Jo is starting me off with something easy but vital to their work.

Apparently, making the perfect cup of tea is their secret weapon.

Welcome to the Salvation Army tea van.

It's very smart, look at it.

We've been doing this for 150 years.

We will just turn up with our wagon wherever we're needed

and we'll make tea, but there's more to it than that. So say it was during the war,

when they saw the Sally Army rock up in their canteen, they knew

there was a bit of reality, there was a bit of normality.

# There's nothing like an army cup of tea... #

The Sally Army's tea traditions go right back to its beginnings.

In 1917, mobile units like this started to spring up.

They supported British troops during both world wars.

They even produced their own brand, Triumph.

Nowadays when there's an emergency, the Salvation Army gets called

out, so things like the 7/7 bombing in London, we got called out to go

and support the emergency services, but it's not just about the tea.

It's about starting a conversation with somebody

and saying, "What happened, are you OK, what do you want to talk about?"

How many cups of tea have the Salvation Army made over the years?

We make a quarter of a million cups of tea a week.

That's a lot of tea. How many teabags?

-They're quite strong, these ones.

-So, four?

-Yeah, that'll do, yeah.

Because they're in shock, they need a good strong cup of tea.

Whilst you've been making their cup of tea, that's when you'd be

having a conversation with somebody, starting your journey with them.

So I'll give that a stir.

-Now, milk first, or milk last?

-It's last, isn't it?

Jo has set up a bit of role play to see if I have the right patter.

There's been a fire in a factory.

-Right.

-And the fire brigade have put it out,

-everybody's safe, but they're exhausted.

-And they're in shock.

They are, they've seen some hair-raising things

and they want someone to give them a cup of tea.

Now, look at this brave fire officer here. How are you doing, kid?

Look at your face, you're covered in muck.

-I bet you've been breathing in smoke.

-I have, terrible.

-And what you badly need is a nice strong cup of tea, isn't it?

-I would.

-Would you like a biscuit with that?

-Yes, please.

-I bet you would.

-Bet your blood sugar's in your boots after all that.

-Thank you very much.

You get that down your neck, and we're here for you any time, do you hear?

-Thank you very much.

-OK.

-Thank you.

How was that, my first client?

He needed somebody just to show him some kindness

and offer some comfort, and you did that.

-Black tea, no milk, no sugar?

-No milk, no sugar.

-You're easy.

If you want to lie down, we've got plenty of space here.

You can get your head down for half an hour.

-So, have you had a bad time?

-It's been a long day.

-If you want anyone to talk to, we're always here.

-Thank you.

-So come over.

-You got it.

All their ears are singed. Get a biscuit, you're welcome.

-Take a biscuit.

-Thank you.

I think we can say you've well and truly passed this test, Paul.

-Really?

-Aye.

-Oh, well, thank you very much, I've enjoyed myself.

Right, we're shutting the shop now for ten minutes, if you don't mind.

We're on our break, we've been working for 24 hours.

Even the Salvation Army has to have an hour off.

Oh, preach it, brother!

PAUL LAUGHS

Hallelujah, sister! Let's get these shutters down.

How do you do it?

'So far, so good.'

For a real taste of what they do on the front line,

Jo is sending me to Bournemouth, where the Salvation Army

regularly feed and offer care to the town's homeless population.

To prepare for this, I'm joining

my first cadet class, where I'll be doing more than serving tea.

Can I come in? Oh, are you busy?

No, come in, Paul.

You told me you were willing to roll up your sleeves

-and see what we really do.

-Yeah.

-We're going to do some foot washing.

-Do you want to...

-Yeah. Is this all for practical reasons?

Practical, but it's also because it's what Jesus did.

He washed all his disciples' feet

and he said, "This is to show you that you're actually really

"important to me, that I can go really low, I can become a servant

"in order to teach you something really important." So that's why

we teach it in the Salvation Army, to kind of...

-Is this like an exercise to humble you as well?

-I don't want to humble you,

but I want you to maybe think about, are you willing to show humility?

That's a different thing, because I can't humble you.

You're looking at somebody who's washed an elephant's bum!

Seriously, a baby elephant called Incarna of three months,

-so your nice, clean feet are not...

-I don't know, I've been on my feet all day.

When I was in social services, I was washing all parts of anatomy.

'Officers and volunteers regularly wash the feet of the homeless

'and elderly across the country.

'It seems like a strange ritual to me,

'but it's something that lots of cadets have to do.'

You guys, are you all right? You feel quite happy about handling feet?

Are you all trainee Salvation Army officers, then?

-I am.

-Are you?

-Yeah.

-Lizzie, how long have you now been training?

About six weeks. Six or seven weeks, yeah.

And what was it that made you decide to join the Salvation Army?

Did you have a calling?

Did you wake up one morning and a voice said, "Elizabeth,

"you get yourself up to Denmark Hill!"

That would be my mum, because only Mum calls me Elizabeth,

but at a young persons' event, actually, that I was leading,

I...I remember standing there and feeling an incredible

sense of purpose, an incredible sense of peace, and knowing

that unless I came here and unless I did this, I wouldn't ever be

truly at peace and I wouldn't ever be in the centre of God's will.

It's an amazing thing, and a privilege.

-Yeah, but get your dogs in the bowl, girl.

-Are you ready?

-Come on, I'll give them a swill.

-I'm not really sure if my feet are all that nice and...

-Well, I've seen worse.

Now, if I had my nail kit with me, I'd do your nails as well,

I really would.

-And I'd get in that heel for you and get rid of that hard skin.

-What's wrong with my heel?

THEY LAUGH

Hard skin?! I've never seen anything quite like it.

I'm surprised it hasn't come out and slapped me, it's that hard.

THEY LAUGH

Just you wait until it's your turn.

Isn't that such an important thing, you know, physical contact?

Just... Especially for somebody who's on the streets on their own,

who nobody goes near, nobody even speaks to or looks at, or

if they do, it's to chuck, like, 20p at them or something.

But for somebody to actually, like, grab their foot and chat away,

probably makes them feel very human, when they felt inhuman for so long.

-They can't go anywhere when their feet are wet.

-No, you're not going anywhere. I've got your shoes.

THEY LAUGH

You're not getting them back, and you're not getting your socks back either.

Until I've washed these feet and you've had a meal down you, my girl.

There's a massive difference between training and reality, because we're in a safe environment here.

There's a lot of laughter, a lot of interaction.

When you're doing it on the ground, you're dealing with

vulnerable people, and anything could go wrong, so although it's

very safe in training, out on the field, anything could happen.

I'm tasked with putting my new-found skills to the test straight

away by joining the Salvation Army team down in Bournemouth,

but am I ready to give comfort to the homeless and wash tired feet?

On an average night, there are 4,500 people

sleeping rough in the UK, and former painter and decorator

Graham is just one of many without a place to call home.

Basically, I sleep over there under the arches.

It's dry, it's tolerable.

You can tolerate it, but some mornings, obviously, it's horrible. You still get wet.

I ended up homeless through the credit crunch.

After the credit crunch, that was it. And I went

so down, you wouldn't believe. Mentally, physically, everything.

I just gave up.

I've got a floor mat.

I use my rucksack as a pillow.

Climb into my sleeping bag and hopefully go to sleep.

-HE LAUGHS

-It doesn't always work that way, you know what I mean?

Life's never simple, you know what I mean?

I've been sleeping in temperatures below minus seven,

minus 12, minus 15, and that is horrendous,

really, really horrendous.

The worst thing for me is not being able to toilet properly,

wash and bath properly and sometimes eat properly.

If you have not got something warm or hot inside you,

you might as well forget it, because you do need that,

especially that. Because you're warming the insides of you up,

you're warming yourself from the inside outwards,

so it's easier to get to sleep and it's easier to stay asleep.

Well, at least Graham knows he'll get a hot meal tonight.

-Do you want to cut them so that they can see?

-Yeah.

-Please. Thanks, Rosemary.

-Courtesy, that is, of the local service,

run by 72-year-old Mary.

She's been doing this for over 20 years.

Twice a week, Mary provides the food, whilst former nurse Rosemary

washes their feet.

-Hello, ladies!

-Hello!

-Nice to meet you.

I tell you what, the smell is gorgeous in here.

-Don't be silly.

-Whatever that... What is it you're cooking?

It's chicken and vegetable soup.

Oh, it smells lovely, and of course, I suppose, all the homeless that

you feed, have they all got to know you?

Well, we get the same people back.

-We get called "darling" and all sorts.

-Oh, do you?

For doing what I do with their feet, doing their feet and all that,

-some of the stories that they will tell me...

-I bet they will.

..while I'm...and they open up, would make your hair curl.

What state are their feet in, then?

-Horrendous. I mean...

-That's very brave of you, you know, to do that.

Well, I've been doing it 22 years.

Oh, my God! Look at that.

Well, he wouldn't go to the hospitals because, for one thing,

the smell of those leg ulcers.

-How did he get these?

-From injecting.

-From injecting his leg?

-He'd been injecting, yeah, yeah.

Look at this.

I mean, I'm in the Salvation Army, I've done a lot of things, but I don't think I could do that.

-It's...

-'And I have to agree.

'Seeing these photos is a far cry from Captain Jo in the training room,

'and I'm starting to wonder whether I'm ready to wash feet like these.'

-You're making them feel like human beings again.

-Yeah.

You know, because nobody cares for them, do they?

And here's you in this close contact,

doing... It's remarkable what you're doing. It really is.

We're due out on the streets in an hour

and there's still food to prepare.

On the menu tonight, it's soup and bangers and mash.

It's better than the gym, this.

I was going to say, you're going to have muscles on you like Popeye.

You should have a machine.

OK, if anyone would like to donate a potato mashing machine,

we'd be very grateful.

THEY LAUGH

That looks good to me, thank you, dear.

You're like an efficient machine, you lot in here.

-You've got it all sorted. Lovely.

-Lid.

'We pack up 60 meals

'and take the mobile unit to the car park at the local church.'

PAUL LAUGHS

I like your hat.

-It's Paul.

-Hiya, you all right?

-Vegetable soup. Hello, how are you? There you go.

-Cheers, Paul.

-You're welcome.

-Nice one.

-You're welcome.

-Can you just put those in for me, Paul?

-Will do, Rose, yeah.

Ah, Paul O'Grady, I always watch your show when I'm in jail.

THEY LAUGH

My picture's up in the laundry in Rampton. Seriously.

I got a letter from someone in Rampton saying, "Can I have your photo?"

Here you are, kid, get that down you.

There's a great atmosphere here,

especially now people have a good meal inside them.

So far, I've stuck to the comfort of the food van,

but Rosemary's already been out washing feet, and her next

customer is Graham, enjoying a break from the cold of Bournemouth Pier.

-Can I come in, Rosemary?

-Yes, you can.

How are you doing, Graham? Isn't it great when you're getting your feet done?

You feel better, don't you, when you've had your feet done?

Because I'm always... I soak mine once a week when I'm watching the telly.

How do you manage?

I bet they are. Yeah. Where do you go in the winter? What do you do?

You're joking! What, you just went in?

Why didn't you move in?

THEY LAUGH

You all right, then, Graham? You OK?

See you next week, then.

Ah, Graham, it's lovely to meet you.

-And I'll see you later.

-Don't trip over your shoelaces.

-No, tie them. Who's next?

-You all right?

-I've always wanted to meet Paul.

-Hi, how are you doing?

-I wanted to see what you look like in real life.

-Well, there you go.

Same as I look like on the telly, destroyed.

You going to have your feet done? Are you having problems?

-I've got loads of problems with my feet.

-You have.

'Moroccan-born Yousuf has been homeless for 13 years

'after battling drug addiction.

'This is my chance to get stuck in, but Rosemary's doing such

'a great job, I'll leave it to the experts. And it seems to me

'that listening and having a chat is just as important.'

-How are those nails doing?

-I'm a bit of a wolf!

No, it's the hot weather with me.

I wake up and I've got nails on me like Fu Manchu.

YOUSUF LAUGHS

'Rosemary has been washing Yousuf's feet for well over a decade,

'and in that time, they've both seen the brutal reality of homelessness.'

A person died right over there, right at that doorstep there,

froze to death.

I can't get over how somebody died there in that doorway.

Yeah, they did. It was a very young man.

And that was with hypothermia? That was the cold?

-Yeah.

-It's shocking, that, isn't it?

It was totally devastating.

Do you know what I always say

when I talk to homeless guys and homeless women?

I always say, "I could be in that position."

I came down from Birkenhead, no money,

got off the coach at Victoria Coach Station.

I was lucky I had a mate who had a flat and that's how I started

and got myself a bit of a job

but, if it hadn't have worked out for me,

I could be in your position now.

I didn't do any feet washing

but it was nice to be able to sit and chat to them.

Don't forget us.

I don't, believe you me.

I don't forget you.

They're all so open, you know, when you talk to them.

-There you go, sir.

-Thank you very much.

-You're very welcome.

It was good.

I feel like I've done...

I've done something worthwhile.

It's so important to communicate with them

because that's what makes them feel like a normal person.

It's a cold winter's night in Bournemouth

but Mary's used to it after all these years.

You made them feel, tonight, important.

You've given them a sense of worth.

You can't buy that.

No, it's about talking to people, isn't it?

It's really working together.

Just doing the best you can and showing them someone cares.

What do you think the solution is?

I really don't know but, I mean, I think as long as we love them,

if we show them in a practical way we really care about them...

We have no accommodation to offer them, really.

The problem's too vast.

I just haven't got the answer but I really believe

that, if Jesus was here, he'd be looking out for them.

He'd be handy because he'd be able to turn out loaves and fishes,

you know, by the score.

You wouldn't have to worry, would you, really?

Well, I might not be able to perform miracles on such a scale

but I do have a big bag of chocolate.

-Here you are.

-Thank you very much.

There's a Snickers there. Get that down you.

Do you want a Mars bar?

Here, I've got some for the dog. Come here.

Look what I've got for you. I've got you a dog treat.

Look at that.

What are you having, Graham?

Do you want a Double Decker?

Do you want a Mars bar and all?

I don't know whether I'm meant to give out two.

-But I'm doling out sweets here.

-I'm hiding them, then!

Well, it'll do you for later.

-Hey!

-I love you to bits.

-You're welcome. No, you're welcome.

You're the best man in the world.

Oh, get on, I'm not!

I'm not. I'm rotten to the core, take no notice.

It's given me a lot to think about. It really has. Food for thought.

When you hear their stories...

Any of us could end up in this situation.

It's very sobering. It really is.

And I worry now what's going to happen to them tonight

because it's a cold night.

They've had a meal and they've had the sweets and a chat

but what's going to happen now? They're just so vulnerable.

You know, the streets are not a place to be.

It's been a tough introduction to Salvation Army life,

a real eye-opener.

I'm back at HQ to talk to my mentor, Jo.

I think it's important that Paul learns

he's not out there on his own.

There may be things he will face that we do that might shock him

and he needs to know that he has someone he can talk to about that.

-Captain Jo.

-Hello! Come on in. How are you doing?

"I talk too much. Be still." I should have that on my front door.

-Come on in. Have a seat.

-Nice to see you.

I just wanted to see how you were doing

and have a catch-up and see how things are going.

You can't help but let it affect you, put it that way.

When it actually came to doing the foot washing,

-did that happen or...?

-No. Some of the feet... Whoo.

It takes a lot of guts to wash a foot so I offered other help.

I sat and spent a lot of time with them.

You know, they wanted the wisecracks and the comedy

-and all this and all that business.

-That was a good choice.

Sometimes, you have to make choices like that.

-Am I the right person to do this?

-That's what they wanted, you see?

I think the way that you've handled the people that you've met,

I have to commend you for that, so thank you for what you're doing.

Well, I'm a yacker, me. I guess you probably gathered.

-You can't take a compliment, you.

-No, I can't. No.

Just say, "Thanks, Jo. I appreciate it."

No, I can't take compliments.

If I ever thought that this was going to be easy,

I'm already learning that I couldn't be more wrong.

-Ah, Paul O'Grady!

-How are you doing?

In Bournemouth, I met people

who showed a dedication that blew me away.

And, when the next challenge comes along,

I'm going to be ready for it.

Thank you very much.

Next time, I hit the streets of London.

I'm the pin-up on page two.

I'm challenged with getting some troubled teens back on their feet.

There's only two options for yourself in that life.

God forbid, you die or go to jail.

'And I leave the brass band behind

'to record some very different Sally Army rhymes.'

Is that all right?