“Unfortunately, Richard supports the wrong team,” says the Commissioner. Richard protests that there is nothing wrong with Manchester United, “but we have some lively discussions”.

Shaw’s grandparents joined the Salvation Army after their son — Shaw’s father — was recruited by an officer knocking on doors in Goole, East Yorkshire, seeking 100 children for a Sunday school.

His father became an officer, as now are Shaw’s eldest son and his wife. His daughter and her husband are training.

“My youngest son, John, is 19 and doesn’t know what he wants to do. But that is fine. In our household we have only two rules. One is to love Jesus and the other is to support Tottenham Hotspur.”

Shaw is married to Commander Helen, who shares his ministry. The couple have worked in five continents, returning to Britain for their current post in June last year.

Richard had been working for Shaw’s predecessor and the two men agreed on a trial period. “After three days, the Commissioner called me in and we made the arrangement permanent,” says Richard.

That the two get on well is essential, since they spend a huge amount of time together. Richard is not only secretary but travelling companion — driving the Commissioners hundreds of miles and accompanying them on flights — in a job that spans seven days a week.

Shaw says of Richard: “I was blessed to inherit him. Richard has a beautiful gift of being helpful, intelligent and amiable but never overfamiliar.”

The Salvation Army is the largest provider of social services after the Government. Most funding comes from members themselves, and public grants can be difficult. “Some local authorities try to restrict our faith expressions and we have to walk sorrowfully away,” says Shaw. “They might say: no prayers or icons, or that we cannot advertise for Christian staff. We do employ non-Christians, but inevitably there are posts that require faith.”

In the UK and Ireland there are 4,500 employees, 1,500 officers, 1,500 retired officers and 40,000 adult members. There are also 15,000 children — so will they become members or officers? “We take nothing for granted,” says Shaw. “In the past 20 years, we lost a generation. This is a postmodernist era, where the prevailing culture is not to belong or commit. Scouts, rotary and tennis clubs also see it. People still want to play tennis, but not to become club treasurer or secretary. People still want to believe, but the appeal of organised religion has fallen away.”

Did Shaw ever want to turn his back? “Oh, yes. As a teenager I wasn’t comfortable in uniform and didn’t want to be different. I planned to be a lawyer, but in the end I had a clear sense of vocation.”

Growing up in Guernsey, Richard sensed his own call to ministry, although he first worked as a money market and foreign exchange dealer for a merchant bank. He says that there was no clash between his spiritual values and working in an industry that many equate with gambling. “I never saw it like that. To me, it was about interpreting information and more of a science.”

At 24 he went to university to study music — he is a classical pianist — and then spent two years at the Salvation Army’s William Booth College in southeast London. This was followed by four more years’ training, before ordination in 1995.

He had his own church in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, and was a youth officer in Scotland before assuming his current role. “This is now my ministry. I look after correspondence, provide spiritual support to the Commissioners and schedule engagements, usually three years ahead.

“This role is uniquely privileged and Commissioner Shaw is highly intelligent. He claims to be techno-phobic but he deals with all his own e-mails, so people know that they can contact him directly and in confidence.

“I have never been tempted to walk away from the Salvation Army. I have always cherished it, never questioned it, and after seven years in this job I have friends everywhere — throughout Ireland and from the Channel Islands in the south to the Shetlands in the north.”

To make a donation to The Times Christmas Charity Appeal in aid of The Salvation Army and Freeplay Foundation, a humanitarian organisation promoting education in Africa, visit www.timesonline.co.uk/timesappeal or call 0870 2250324

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