Behind the scenes of Songs of Praise: 160 Years of The Salvation Army

Major Jo Moir goes behind the scenes as Songs of Praise celebrates The Salvation Army’s 160th anniversary.

Last month, The Salvation Army opened its doors to BBC One’s Songs of Praise. A week’s worth of talking, singing, interviewing and exploring will need to be edited down to a 30-minute programme capturing 160 years of mission and ministry and, with such rich content and so many insights into what makes us ‘us’, that won’t have been an easy task for the producers.

My position on the sidelines – curating and suggesting places for the crew to visit – gave me a unique perspective on who we think we are and who we want to be. The sheer range of our mission meant the crew were offered 17 ministries to consider filming, ranging between parent-and-toddler groups, university chaplaincy, modern slavery, homelessness, family tracing and prison ministries. The team wanted to meet Salvationists old and young and see expressions old and new, and so visited three expressions, taking inspiration from our theme from Together 2025 – Mission 160: From Generation to Generation.

The Rev Canon Kate Bottley was intrigued to learn about the place of women in the Army and the challenges early Salvationists faced.

The Rev Canon Kate Bottley, the Songs of Praise host, met lifelong friends Major George Whittingham and Lieut-Colonel Maurice Cooper, who shared recollections and powerful testimonies of sacrifice and dedication to God. They spoke of his faithfulness through the years, and the part music played in their faith journeys. They even persuaded Kate to attempt playing an Eb bass at one point, although that might not make the final edit! They shared heartfelt narratives of the impact of their church family on their lives in times of joy and days of loss.

Cadet Hannah Carr was filmed serving the community in Mitcham as part of her officer training. She spoke eloquently about her calling and hopes for the future. Captain Nick Ward (Mitcham) gave a tour of the hugely popular Omnibus – a converted double-decker bus that offers debt advice, Employment Plus and a safe space for young people to gather after school. Despite the near torrential rain, they both kept smiling as they served refreshments, connected with people and offered pastoral care to those who visited during our time filming.

Kate then spent time with Territorial Leader Commissioner Jenine Main. This relaxed conversation clearly captivated the host, who was intrigued to learn about the place of women in the Army, the challenges early Salvationists faced and the commissioner’s future hopes for the Movement.

All those who gave their time, gifts, ministry, music and testimony exemplified the heart of our Movement.

Worship for the episode was recorded at Nottingham William Booth Memorial Halls Corps. It featured traditional brass from a talented quintet of local Salvationists and contemporary music from M25, a worship group from the London Division. The packed hall contained many who had travelled especially to be part of the worship and filming.

They recorded eight songs and two Christmas carols, which felt very strange on a warm day in May. Some of the songs will feature in the anniversary episode and others will be used throughout the year, including during Advent.

The final edit is in the hands of the producers, but all those who gave their time, gifts, ministry, music and testimony exemplified the heart of our Movement. They gave all the glory to God at every opportunity, telling the story of The Salvation Army through its history, its impact and its purpose with clarity and passion. That’s a perspective worth keeping!