PORT Glasgow Salvation Army is proudly celebrating its 140th anniversary and looking to the future.

Members and their families marked the milestone with a birthday bash at Upper Port Glasgow Social Club over the weekend.

Captain Ian Arthur has compiled a display of old photographs marking the Corps' journey including the opening of the current hall in King Street in 1928.

Ian says the milestone is a proud moment.

He said: "The fact that the Port Glasgow Salvation Army has reached 140 years is testament to everyone who has gone before and also to the dedicated volunteers we have now.

"I think Port Glasgow is a very special place.

"There is still a need in the community as much there was when we first started here, event though these needs may be a bit different.

"We preach the same gospel and the guys we have are the most committed Salvationists you are ever likely to meet."

Port Glasgow Corps was founded by two female officers in 1882, Captain Letitia Kent and her lieutenant, and Ian says that women have always been at the forefront of Salvation Army life.

Ian added: "It meant middle class girls who weren't allowed to do anything were given a Salvation Army flag and £500 to set up a church.

"It was a 16-year-old girl who founded the Salvation Army in the States.

"Women have always been very important in the movement.

"The Salvation Army is very progressive - there have been three female generals worldwide."

The local corps initially met in different halls and a warehouse before being locked out by the owner.

Ian said: "When they ran out of halls, they gathered in a warehouse but the owner didn't like the noise of the drum and locked it up!

"They broke in and held the meeting anyway."

This problem was solved when the current hall was built in King Street in 1927 and it was officially opened by Lady Lithgow in 1928.

Having started with only two officers, membership grew to as many as 100 soldiers.

Thhis has dropped to 30, with another person due to be enrolled in September.

Ian said: "It's not unusual to have a bell curve, numerically in the UK there has been a decline in soldiers since this hall was built.

"But we couldn't do what we do without our volunteers and I want to thank them for all their hard work."