Salvation Army trials collection bank sensors to monitor fill levels
Melanie May | 19 August 2016 | News
The Salvation Army has begun a trial of monitoring technology in 104 of its collection banks to help it uncover the filling patterns and general behaviour of donors.
The charity has fitted the collection banks, located in the East Midlands, with FarSite’s netBin sensors to monitor their fill levels.
The insights gained will help it work out when the banks need to be emptied, so increasing the efficiency of its network of collectors, reducing collection costs and the risk of banks overflowing, and potentially increasing income.
Brett Simpson, head of development for Salvation Army Trading Company, which runs the textile collection operation, said:
“As one of the largest collectors of donated clothing in the UK we are constantly seeking ways of improving the efficiency of our operations to make sure we raise the maximum amount of money for The Salvation Army. The ability to get accurate fill levels on a timely basis could be a real step forward in the planning and emptying of our network of over 6,000 clothing banks. This trial with FarSite will help us learn just how big this step can be.”
Salvation Army Trading Company manages a large network of charity textile banks across the UK, collecting thousands of tonnes of donated items per year. Donated clothing and textiles generate income to help the charity run a variety of programmes to support vulnerable people in communities across the UK.
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About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.