Epworth Eastern farewells fond neighbours

Epworth Eastern has bid a fond farewell to their long-term neighbours, The Salvation Army in Box Hill.

While Nelson Road has been home to The Salvation Army Box Hill for the last 33 years, the two organisations have forged close links.

The Salvation Army Box Hill has become a key strategic partner in the redevelopment and expansion of Epworth Eastern, which will extend onto The Salvation Army’s site.

In return for the land, Epworth has paid for construction of a new Box Hill headquarters for The Salvation Army in Whitehorse Road, on land previously owned by Box Hill Institute.

The move was only possible due to a landmark agreement between The Salvation Army, Box Hill Institute and Epworth Eastern.

Epworth Eastern Executive General Manager Kerry May said The Salvation Army Box Hill has been a great neighbour and will be missed.

“Epworth Eastern has been involved in The Salvation Army Box Hill’s social and wellbeing initiatives, fundraisers and appeals over the last 15-years,” Ms May said.

“We will miss them being so close, but we will continue to support them in their incredibly important community initiatives into the future.

“To the Salvation Army Box Hill congregation, we are so thrilled that you have brand new state of the art facilities at Whitehorse Road,” Ms May said.

In a serendipitous twist of fate, the move will see The Salvation Army Box Hill’s new building located at 1010 Whitehorse Road, at almost the exact same spot where the organisation started their first Victorian Salvation Army corps in 1891.

Caption: Epworth Eastern Executive General Manager, Kerry May present The Salvation Army Box Hill’s Major Brian Saunders and Philip Messenger with farewell gifts, symbolic of the enduring partnership between both organisations.