At Your Service

Jenny Sinclair is the founder director of the charity Together For The Common Good - but what is 'the common good' and why should we care about it?  In this first of two programmes featuring conversations with Jenny, she sketches out her background as a teenager in Liverpool during the 1970's,  when her Father, David Sheppard, was Anglican Bishop of Liverpool - and what she h...

Today has been chosen as a National Day of Reflection - a time to pause and remember all who died during the Covid pandemic, and those who still mourn their loss - we make a space to mark the day with words and music; Mike Hardie is the Community Partnerships Manager for The Leprosy Mission and he's back on the Island to meet supporters of the charity, make some new friends and share stories f...

Paul Keeys, Director of Walking Through the Bible will be back on the Island on 2nd March to lead a day walking through the New Testament in St John's Methodist Church from 10am - 4.30pm - he joins us to explain why this is such a valuable and entertaining day! Jacko the dog achieved fame when Peter Shimmin introduced us to him on Thought for the Day almost ten years ago - Peter is back ........

Rev'd Jo Smart came to the Island in September 2022 and is a Methodist minister based in Peel with care of the churches in the West and in Douglas.  But her early life suggested a very different career - as a dancer!  In conversation today, we find out what it took to make that life-changing decision - and how her skills as a dancer shapes her ministry. We also discuss the season of...

This is the start of National Marriage Week - and Valentine's Day is just around the corner - but that's not what we're talking about, as I take author, broadcaster and Baptist Minister Richard Littledale out for a walk in Glen Mooar.  As we explore St Patrick's Chapel - Cabbal Pherick - the site of an 8th century keeill, we talk about the great gift of FRIENDSHIP ..... and th...

On the programme this week, Rev'd Richard Littledale, Baptist Pastor, preacher, author, BBC broadcaster and expert storyteller joins us to talk about his new book LET IT GROW - written for children, it's a collection of garden projects and fun facts to help them learn how to care for God's planet. Manx-born Very Rev'd Canon John Mann has recently retired as Dean of Belfast Cathedra...

27th January each year is Holocaust Memorial Day - a time to reflect on the 6 million Jews, and thousands of others who died in the Nazi persecution during World War 2, and the millions who have died in subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.    Leonard Singer was a prominent member of the Isle of Man's Jewish community -and during his time as an MHK for Ramsey,...

Poet, Anglican priest, academic, singer/songwriter, lecturer and biker, Rev'd Dr Malcolm Guite made his first visit to the Island at the end of last year - and loved everything he saw.  In the first part of an interview recorded during his visit, he talks about his childhood in Nigeria, and the power of poetry - to change the course of a life, and to take on a life of its own. The second...

President of the Methodist Conference of Britain, Rev'd Gill Newton, and Vice President, Deacon Kerry Scarlett, are visiting the Island this weekend as part of their year of office, during which they will visit as many Methodist circuits as possible. The Methodist Conference is the governing body of the Methodist Church in Britain, of which the Methodist Church on the Island forms a part - and...

One By One is an international charity dedicated to preventing the exploitation of vulnerable people - particularly children and young teenagers - and today in conversation with founder and CEO Becky Murray we find out how it all began - quite by accident - during a trip to Sierra Leone, with 50p and  a pair of pink flip flops. We were all deeply saddened to learn of the death of Marilyn Cann...

Looking back over a year of weekly opportunities to be AT YOUR SERVICE - today's specially extended programme includes extracts from interviews with the Most Reverend and Rt Honorable Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York, actress Wendy Craig, singer and Songs of Praise presenter Aled Jones, Academic and Scientist Rev'd Professor David Wilkinson, Baptist Minister Richard Littledale -and a f...

In 2024, the popular Broughton Boys Choir - or to give them their correct title - the choir of St John the Baptist church in Broughton, Lancashire - will make their 50th annual visit to the Isle of Man for their Choir School.  Choirmaster John Catterall has accompanied the choir on every single one of those visits, and looks forward to a really special visit to mark the 50th anniversary. &nbs...

In this special extended edition of At Your Service for Christmas Eve, my guest,  country singer/songwriter CHARLIE LANDSBOROUGH talks about family life, finding - losing - and finding his faith again, being a schoolteacher before finally breaking into show business - and lots more!   Charlie talks about his faith with honesty and simplicity -  a properly down-to-earth story of one...

On At Your Service today, we've words and music from the recent Tynwald Carol Service recorded in St George's Church, Douglas, plus three folk tales based on the message of Christmas,  from author and broadcaster Richard Littledale. Carlos Philips and the Hon Clare Barber MHK give the Bible readings, there's music from the Tynwald Choir directed and accompanied by Dr Jonathan King...

On today's programme I talk with the Rt Reverend Mark Davies, Bishop of Middleton in the Diocese of Manchester about his life and vocation to the priesthood.  Bishop Mark is set to become a regular visitor to the Island, as he has been chosen to be Commissary Bishop, taking care of the Diocese of Sodor and Man until a permanent appointment is made.   Over the years, Bishop Mark has t...

Ramsey-based business AFD Software celebrated the Company's 40th Anniversary at their recent Annual Charity Event - and they marked the milestone by donating a total of £1million, divided between over 80 local and global charities, nominated by the staff of AFD - The Postcode People. But there was more - a further £2.2million will be used to buy an aircraft for Mission Aviation Fel...

The Anglican churches in Arbory and Castletown have a new Priest In Charge - he's Rev'd Simon Archer and he's recently moved to the Island with his wife Tasha and their four children.  But many people - scattered all over the world - also know him as The Gaming Vicar.   On today's programme we discover how he moved from a pub to a pulpit, why he and Tasha chose to come to...

David Dorricott has commissioned possibly his most ambitious piece of Bible-inspired artwork to enhance the 25-acre site at Mountain View Innovation Centre, on Jurby Road, just outside Ramsey, where his business - AFD Software - has its headquarters. The work of artist James Sutton, the piece - which took some 3 years to create - was fully installed recently and on today's programme both James...

This special programme for Remembrance Sunday includes spoken word contributions  from Simeon Wood, David Suchet and Sean Bean, with reflections and poetry from poet, singer/songwriter, author and academic Rev'd Dr Malcolm Guite Prayers are led By Rev'd David and Mrs Jacqueline Shirtliff Music includes the Hymn for the Fallen, Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep; I vow to thee my countr...

Today's programme brings you highlights of the service on Friday 3 November 2023 in which a Douglas parish church becomes  the Cathedral Church of St Mary of the Isle, Co-Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Liverpool - the first Co-Cathedral in the British Isles.   It was made possible by the award of city status to the town of Douglas as part of the late Queen Elizabeth II's Platinu...

After 6 years as Bishop of Sodor and Man - the smallest but one of the very oldest Diocese in the Church of England - the Rt Reverend Peter Eagles is moving on.  He and his wife Gail are leaving the Island to live in Walsingham, Norfolk.   As he retires from leadership of the Manx Diocese, he looks back over some 30 years in ordained ministry, and at the years on the Island in particular...

Scripture Union Ministries Trust has been active on the Island for some 40 years - helping young people to explore issues of faith for themselves.  Now it's no longer in partnership with SU in England and Wales, but  stands alone as part of Scripture Union International - and they have a new Chief Executive. She is KRISTINA REEVES, and on the programme today she explains not just her...

Christian Aid have been working in the Middle East since 1950 - so how are they responding to the current escalation in violence there?  We have comments from our local Christian Aid representative, Louise Whitelegg along with thoughts from those in the area now. The most likely date for the second reading of the Assisted Dying Bill is 31 October.  In anticipation of this, a few days ago...

When roads are impassable, terrain is treacherous and walking vast distances is your only option, a curable illness suddenly becomes deadly.  Those who live in isolated areas around the world, are cut off from the things we take for granted - like healthcare and education. MISSION AVIATION FELLOWSHIP is a Christian aviation charity operating around 130 light aircraft in more than 25 of the wo...

God and The Big Bang is a project that runs interactive workshop days with young people aged between 10 and 18 giving them the opportunity to discover, discuss and debate the compatibility between science and faith.  The events equip young people with the tools they need in order to form their own opinions about the part science plays in God's world. In this programme I talk with Project...