The Gospels Good News 2013

greatest achievements of British art. And back home in the North for

the next three months. The word gospel means good news in old

English. And the Lindisfarne Gospels, crafted here on Holy

Island, offer two lots of good news. For Christians, they offer hope of a

better life, a better future, with the coming of the messiah. And the

sheer beauty and creativity of them tells us something extraordinary

about human spirit, innovation and endeavour - and that to me is good

room for celebrating such positive attributes like endeavour and

innovation. But I'm going to compile a gospel of good news stories which

will show they're as strong now, as they were when the Lindisfarne

Gospels were created. My two-month journey will follow parts of the

route of the gospels from Holy Island to Durham. And hopefully, I'm

going to find people along the way to tell me their stories and help

Farne Islands, half a dozen miles or so from Holy Island. The Farnes were

home to St Cuthbert. During his time there, he introduced the world's

first bird protection laws. Apparently we locals liked eating

the eider ducks and their eggs. He stopped that. That's why in

Northumberland, eider ducks are called cuddy ducks - cuddy, after

Cuthbert. Now you didn't know that, did you? The 81,000 pairs of sea

birds here have been having a hard time. At this time of year I should

be bombarded by Arctic terns. But they've no eggs to protect.

cold, wet weather is preventing the birds from nesting. We are a couple

of weeks behind. The good news is, the terns are courting like mad.

More than 20 species of sea bird breed here, including shags. I

wasn't quite as quick as I thought I was! The papers have been filled

with gloomy stories about disappearing species. But the

puffins have been a phenomenal success story. In the 1930s, there

were only 3,000 breeding pairs. Which God -- we had more than 36,505

years ago. We are hoping for more than 40,000 this year. The rangers

are in the middle of a new puffin census - and guess what? So am I.

I'm feeling to see if they're home - or have just nipped out for a snack.

I've an awful feeling there may be something in here. Oh no, it's not!

There are two different tunnels at the end. The burrows often have a

toilet chamber. Oh, really? I've had me hand in a puffin's nettie -

brilliant! Very hygienic. We are finding quite high occupancy. This

summer could be quite successful. That is really good news. It's

amazing to think that St Cuthbert's work is paying dividends. And the

work he started protecting the birds. I suppose the good news is,

believe it or not, the weather has changed for the better. The birds

are sitting on eggs and the terns will be dive bombing heads pretty

soon. It's great. So, the first piece of good news is

entered on our gospel page, feflecting the bird conservation

work of Cuthbert and the rangers. The exact route of the gospels from

Holy Island is disputed. We do know they zig-zagged the North as the

monks evaded Viking invaders. From the Farne Islands we go south to

Billingham on Teesside. To be honest with you, it's been quite a struggle

so far to gather our good news stories. We're so geared up for the

bad. We all bang on about the decline of heavy industry, but did

you know that here on Teesside there turbines on the sea bed. TAG Energy

Solutions produces them at the former Swan Hunter shipyard at

Haverton Hill. It's quite impressive, that. I feel butch just

watching it. Three years ago, they had to move from offshore oil and

gas or risk going under. We had 2000 quid left in the bank. We had about

15 people. We now have 150 people. The supply chain we have created,

probably another 150 jobs. They're the only company in Britain doing

this. They have orders worth more than �20 million. Half of their

output is exported to Germany. The smell reminds me of my grandad when

he was little. He used to be a welder and he would smell like this

when he came in from work. I spent 30 years in the Army. I got in the

rank of sergeant. I have finally found a company where I want to

stay. What have you got to look going on in iron and steel here on

Teesside. This is the blast furnace at SSI's plant in Redcar. After

being mothballed for two years, it was restarted just over a year ago.

They're hitting record tonnages of iron. Thousands of more young lads

have got jobs here. All getting new houses and new cars. We're over the

moon. Fantastic news. Further community, everyone. You can find

beauty and you. This is an amazing place. Truly awesome. Operations

wise, looking fantastic. We are going to be the best in the world.

Success forged by heavy industry on Teesside inspires our Good News

Gospel. From Teesside, we travel north west

to Cumwhinton near Carlisle. The gospels didn't travel in a straight

line to make their journey. And neither do we. We're nearly there.

This next story is about overcoming the odds, finding success in the

face of adversity. And personally, I developed biliary atresia, a rare

liver disease, when he was a child. A liver transplant saved his life.

He was nearly a year old when he went a khaki colour, he was so ill.

We were new parents, our first-born. This was not meant to happen. It was

a complete shock. They said if he did not get a donor by the May, he

would actually die. Later this month, Matthew leaves for South

Africa to compete in the World Transplant Games. And this boy, who

it was feared would never be able to walk before the transplant, expects

to win gold. I'm doing the 200 metres, 400 metres, 800 metres, 1500

metres, 5000 metres, and I'm hoping to compete in the adult 4x400 relay.

What about the wheelbarrow race or the egg and spoon? Aren't there one

or two you may have missed out? stick to that. There my strongest.

It puts everything else into perspective. You see great people,

doctors, surgeons. Then you have a donor family taking that incredibly

hard decision. It strengthens your faith in human kindness. I'm really

grateful for it, and lucky. Time to update our gospel, inspired by the

dedication of those who have contributed to Matthew's success.

The gospels were created by the monk, Eadfrith, around 1300 years

ago. An extraordinary feat. Usually they were done by groups of people.

I've found another good news story, so from Cumbria we go East to

ounces. A first baby for Marie and Paul. We tried for a baby for five

years. Eventually we tried IVF treatment and got Eliza. Every day

we wake up and it's just an absolute joy. I've got a favour to ask.

hope you don't mind. Any chance of a little hold? Of course!Thirty years

ago there was no possibility of having a baby like Eliza with IVF.

The treatment they received at Newcastle's Centre for Life was just

being developed. Now couples from all over the country longing for a

baby are being given a chance. 300 babies are conceived every year.

There is no wait for treatment. Three cycles funded by the NHS. You

have at least a 60% chance of having a baby. That's good news. A little

superstar. Your unnatural. -- you are a natural. A true miracle. Our

illustration in the Good News Gospel reflects the "miracle" for Marie and

Paul. The Lindisfarne Gospels comprise

more than 250 leaves of calf skin velum. They're remarkably preserved.

The next story touches on every part of the gospels map. North, south,

clue about the next bit of good news. It's all about discovering

to 80 from all parts of the region. Now it doesn't say anything here,

when it gets to" I'm going home... " Today is special, Sir Thomas Allen,

the world famous opera star is holding a master class.

# I'm going home # Think of what you're saying. You

part of being a poor way faring stranger. Then there's a land beyond

that. We need to go from that, this world of woe. It's incredibly useful

to have woe. Oh, woe is me. As a I think you should think of being

able to do that. It will make such a difference. It will be the crowning

glory of the piece. It's the highest note in the piece. It will do you

Zblt choir are rehearsing for a concert celebrating the return of

the Lindisfarne Gospels. None of choir. It's not something I do very

often. We have a lot of work to do. But there's a possibility of making

something that's really very, very refind. They're very open to

suggestion and ideas and it's hard work. There'll be a lot of work

between now and then, whenever "then" is before it comes together.

Weeks. Nonchts problem. April bull -- no, problem. Ample time. He has

transformed the choir in the sound that they make. When you get it all

together, the hairs on the back of your neck just come up. Magic.

years people told me to shut up. Inside I was a virtuoso singer. Now

I feel I'm getting there. It was just calm and level, measured

and beautifully in tune. For that reason, I think they make the music

ring out. We shall be ready. There is no question. We shall be ready.

don't know about you, but they certainly sound ready to me. Did you

recognise that piece of music? You should do. You should pay attention.

We've already played it in the film. I know for a fact that the choir

think that's good news. The uplifting voices of the gospels

community choir inspire our Gooed News Gospel. It's believed it took

up to ten years to complete the gospels. He used pigments imported

from as far away as the Himalayas. Now we head to Gateshead in our

quest for inspiring stories. It's 15 years since I put a pair of football

boots on. You might be wondering what I'm doing. I'm wondering what

I'm doing. This is North East athletic, a

football club run by and for people recovering from drug and alcohol

abuse. It's a remarkable success and they're good players. Much better

than me. Let's face it, I'm a better spectator than a player. Today,

Athletic in the blue are playing KNW in the white and black. It just

works. Basically, if you give people respect and actually let them

control their own affairs. There's camaraderie, stability, it's helping

other people. I was in prison for violent crimes, drugs. But it's

helping people. Keeping people out of prison. It's giving them jobs,

hope. Of the teams is top of the league in their first season. Only

one player has ever been expelled for breaking the rules. What would

you do, do you think, if this didn't exist? I'd still be in a prison cell

or dead, one or the other. That's the stark reality of it. The game's

finished. I think the final score was 8-1. The good news is it clearly

does work and it's made a huge difference to the lives of the

people involved with it. I think we should all applaud that. Our Gospel

page reflects North East Athletic's rehabilitation work.

From Gateshead we travel south to Through this gate is a monument to

community, faith and solidarity, a thing of beauty and it's good news.

St Cuthbert's church, more than 800 years old and almost destroyed

recently by thieves. They stole the lead from the roof seven times.

There's water coming in. It was streaming down the walls. The wood

work was all soaked and warped and the varnish lifting, furnishings

mouldy. It was more than a loss. It was devastating, actually.

congregation was asked a hard question. What do we do at this

point, have we got the spirit to put this right and put it back at the

centre of the community. �50,000 later the church has been restored

and it has a new roof. There it is, stainless steel, I think it looks

pretty actually. It's harder to take than lead because you can't roll it

up and chuck it off the roof. It's cumbersome stuff. So you'd be

spotted quickly if you were heading down the road with that lot under

your arm. The good news is we are in touch with more people in our

community and beyond our community than we ever have been before. They

feel they own this place. This is their place. Look at it now. I mean,

I'm just very proud. St Cuthbert's church takes its place in the Good

News Gospel. The Lindisfarne Gospels consists of

the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and the life and

teachings of Christ. They're symbolised by a man, a lion, a calf

and an eagle. A hop and skip to the borders of

Teesside and North Yorkshire now. The good news stories are turning up

Katherine James and her friends are off to the Middlesbrough race for

life. 30 lasses, pink tutus plus me. This could be a laugh, this.

They used to call me Zola Bud, believe it or not. Or crawl, we'll

finish it. Katherine was diagnosed with breast cancer last December. It

was discovered because she'd gone on a diet. I was at my target weight.

Two weeks later I discovered a lump. If I hadn't lost the weight I might

not have found it. I've been very not have found it. I've been very

lucky, yeah. Three, two, one! is a 5 K race to raise money for

Cancer Research UK. The good news is cancer survival rates have doubled

in the last four decades. Katherine has almost finished her treatment.

The prognosis is good. It's definitely made me a stronger person

and more positive. I've done more things since I've found out than I

would before. You look at life very differently. It's taken Katherine

less than an hour to walk the course. She has been three miles

behind me. And I love her. You've done it.

yes. Do you feel?Great. I feel better than I did at the beginning.

It's just lovely. In our Gospel, an athlete strides forward reflecting

Katherine's good news. The gospels were written in Latin. An old

English translation was added later by another monk, between the lines

of the main text. For the final leg of our journey, we go north to

Washington services on the A 1. Any minute now. What am I waiting

for? What do you think I'm waiting for? I'm waiting for the next

instalment of good news. There's a stroke of luck because here it is

now. I've thumb be rb -- thumbed a lift with Tim Chalk, a sculptor.

What's going on Tim, what's in the back? I've got St Cuthbert in the

back. St Cuthbert in the back. Well, actually, it's a statue of him. It

will be a central feature of the Lindisfarne Gospels exhibition in

Durham. There's always problems installing statues and here's the

first. We are lost. Do you know where you're going, by the way? I'm

going to Durham, but I haven't seen any signs for Durham. Passed Durham.

Have we? Yeah. Back on track we arrive at the exhibition hall. St

Cuthbert sees the light of day. there is a height issue, at that

point we just lift him off. Keep clear of that side. Slowly.Whoa!

We're not going to fit through this door.

I tell you what, I don't know how Tim's feeling, but my heart's coming

out of my mouth. It was all going so well. I thought it was going to sail

through there. The measurement has been frame to frame rather than the

inside of the door to the inside. I think St Cuthbert is taking it well,

though. I bet you engineered this to get good television! I'm sorry, Tim,

it's almost as if some stupid presenter kept you talking so much

you missed your turn-off in the van as well. You're a bit late and it's

stressed you out. Eventually the door's come off. St

Cuthbert is in. Here he is in the right place. It's great to see him.

It makes a huge difference. What do you think? I'm over the moon. This

is a really beautiful sculpture. It's fabulous to see it life-size

and ready in its place. The statue reflects Cuthbert's longing for

solitude on The Farnes isolated in his tower. He would have been

standing there looking through the top of his roofless tower. All he

would have seen is clouds and wheels wheeling across. It would have given

him the sense of the spirit just taking off and lifting up. Everybody

kept wanting a bit of him. I thought this cloak is like this huge,

worldly burden that he has to carry. Without a shadow of a doubt, it

looks beautiful. If I'm honest with you, I think he's got a little bit

final leg of our journey, I wasn't quite telling the truth. There's one

more thing that we need to go and see. And that is in London, well,

those things are in London. That might give you a bit of a clue.

Because I think it's safe to say that we've both been dying to see

the gospels in real life. That's where we're heading now, to the

British Library to do just that. I, for one, am properly excited. At

last we get our sneak preview of the book that everyone's talking about,

the book that's coming back to Durham.

Look at these colours. It's fantastic. It's like a dragon that

letter there. Yes.It's fascinating. The detail, you can see, the red

there. Yeah, you're looking at that one page and the density of work

involved. There's no doubting the beauty of the page, but one thing

strikes us - where are my pretty pictures? It's virtually all words.

Please don't take this the wrong way, of all of the pages, why this

one? Here, you have perhaps a slight slightly lower scale artistic

achievement, but it's the same artist. It's the same scribe who's

working on it. So the intensity of the work is as great, it's just

there's less paint on the page. fantastic. Obviously, I'm pulling

your leg. I'm really pleased just to get a chance to have a look at it.

The Lindisfarne Gospels is undoubtedly one of the greatest

books ever made. It's one of the great peaks of British art. There

are not many of those in history, but this is certainly one of them.

There we are, I've seen the gospels and I have to say, I'm not

disappointed at all. I think they're absolutely beautiful. On so many

levels. I'm really glad I got the opportunity to go and do that.

At the beginning, I set a task: To show that in the 1300 years since

the gospels were created we haven't changed. That we still have the

qualities that inspired such a magnificent work of art. We've seen

individuals unite. We've seen communities overcome adversity.

We've seen people find hidden talents deep within themselves. More

important than all of that, I think we've proved beyond a shadow of a

doubt that the human spirit, innovation and endeavour is just as

strong as it was when the gospels were created. That is good news for

all of us. So, our last bit of good news is:

Today, the Lindisfarne Gospels have come home to Durham.