SATCoL’s fibersort technology features on Songs of Praise
published on 16 Feb 2024
Viewers can tune into BBC Songs of Praise this Sunday 18 February, to see our trading arm’s modern recycling centre, and witness care for creation in action.
The Salvation Army Trading Company (SATCoL) processing Centre in Kettering, Northamptonshire is a site where second-hand garments, donated by the public, are processed and recycled. BBC Songs of Praise producers were fascinated by the invention of the UK’s first Fibersort technology, machinery that will help transform sustainable production in the future. They’d also heard that the world’s first polyester recycling plant will open there soon. This innovation will help to identify and classify unwearable textiles into grades and separate them into different fibres such as cotton, polyester and wool.
Claire McCollum, who presents Songs of Praise, was taken on a tour by Major Heather Poxon, Head of Environment and Sustainability at The Salvation Army together with Majonne Frost, SATCoL’s Head of Environment and Sustainability, and John Webb, site manager at Kettering. Claire focused on the new technology for the programme’s ‘Caring for Creation’ episode and talked about how The Salvation Army aligns its Christian beliefs with caring for the environment.
The Salvation Army has a history of sustainability, opening the very first charity shop in Leeds in 1908. There are now over 400 Salvation Army shops in the UK as well as over 20 clothing donation centres.
You can watch the Songs of Praise ‘Caring for Creation’ programme on Sunday 18 February on BBC One at 13:15, and it will also be available on BBC iPlayer.
