A SALVATION Army supper run has found a new home after being asked to leave a Bournemouth church.

Boscombe Salvation Army’s night soup kitchen for the homeless was asked to leave St Peter’s Churchyard after 20 years.

It has now moved into Bournemouth Spiritualist Church on Bath Road on a Thursday evening from 5.45pm to 7.15pm.

“We are delighted with it so far,” said Al Potts, the president of the church.

The soup kitchen was asked to move out of St Peter’s and use Cotlands Road car park for a six-month trial.

The church said it is trying to balance its duty to the needy with its responsibility to keep an attractive churchyard.

The Rev Ian Terry, team rector for the town centre including St Peter’s, told the Daily Echo last week: “Of course, if I am approached, directly, by someone demonstrating clear difficulties caused by this experimental period then I shall take those views to my council standing committee.”

The Spiritualist Church was asked to help and the soup kitchen has been using land at the rear of the church.

Church member Cllr Anne Rey said: “We are a town centre church and we wanted to do more to help the community. It’s been working very well so far.”

Boscombe Salvation Army declined to comment on the move. One Salvation Army volunteer, Mary Randall, earned the MBE for her work giving hot food and clean clothes to rough sleepers.

The Roman Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart, in Richmond Hill, asked its soup kitchen to leave earlier this year.