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Fire in our hearts - Jesus Army

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FIRE IN OUR HEARTS<br />

CITY ON A HILL<br />

The lightn<strong>in</strong>g t<strong>our</strong> cont<strong>in</strong>ued as we stepped <strong>in</strong>to the warehouse.<br />

‘Here comes Mike “Rockfast”! He runs just about everyth<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>in</strong> this community!’ I joked.<br />

‘Not quite, bro!’ answered Mike <strong>in</strong> his quiet, unruffled way.<br />

‘Actually, I’m the treasurer of the Community Trust and<br />

general manager of House of Goodness Group.’<br />

‘It all seems very organised,’ said Henk.<br />

‘Thanks. It needs to — it’s all the Lord’s money.’<br />

‘But how have the bus<strong>in</strong>esses grown so big?’<br />

‘Well, Goodness Foods started <strong>in</strong> 1976 when we opened a<br />

shop <strong>in</strong> Northampton. Then we expanded slowly to <strong>in</strong>clude<br />

shops <strong>in</strong> Daventry, Towcester and Weedon. In 1980 we took<br />

over a village bakery. All this was <strong>our</strong> cottage <strong>in</strong>dustry phase<br />

really.’<br />

‘It’s more than that now!’<br />

‘Yes. We began wholesal<strong>in</strong>g from this warehouse <strong>in</strong> 1981.<br />

When we started deliver<strong>in</strong>g all round the country it really<br />

took off. We’ve also opened shops <strong>in</strong> the larger local towns —<br />

Leam<strong>in</strong>gton, Bletchley, Rugby, and Leicester.’<br />

‘And what of Ska<strong>in</strong>o and the builders’ merchants?’<br />

The phone rang. ‘Excuse me a moment...’<br />

‘Yes, earlier this year Ska<strong>in</strong>o Services moved <strong>in</strong>to Unit 14<br />

just down the road. The build<strong>in</strong>g side began at New Creation<br />

Hall back <strong>in</strong> 1974, and the garage started <strong>in</strong> the old stable<br />

block there. We launched the road haulage with an old lorry<br />

that came with the farm.<br />

‘TBS began <strong>in</strong> a builders’ yard at Towcester ma<strong>in</strong>ly to supply<br />

<strong>our</strong> own team, but it was popular with the locals and has<br />

now become quite profitable. They’ve opened another branch<br />

233

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