0:00:03 > 0:00:07This week I'm in Milton Keynes celebrating the 50th anniversary
0:00:07 > 0:00:10of Britain's most famous new town, which is also home
0:00:10 > 0:00:13to a Christian community with a pioneering past.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16Welcome to Songs Of Praise.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42On today's programme I'll be meeting the Christians at the heart
0:00:42 > 0:00:45of the development of Milton Keynes.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50Reverend Kate Bottley visits a Christian project which is restoring
0:00:50 > 0:00:53broken bicycles whilst turning around young lives.
0:00:53 > 0:00:58- Do you know what I think the best bit of the bike is, Ben?- Which one?
0:00:58 > 0:01:01HORN
0:01:01 > 0:01:04And I have a kickabout with a local freestyle footballer
0:01:04 > 0:01:06whose faith has inspired him to break a staggering
0:01:06 > 0:01:09five world records.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12As a Christian, I really believe that this was my God-given gift,
0:01:12 > 0:01:14and it was something that he wanted me to do.
0:01:22 > 0:01:27Founded in 1967, Milton Keynes was built to ease the pressure
0:01:27 > 0:01:30of London's chronic housing shortage.
0:01:30 > 0:01:34Created from Buckinghamshire farmland and surrounding villages,
0:01:34 > 0:01:37this place has had a lot to celebrate over its past
0:01:37 > 0:01:41five decades, being the proud home of the Aston Martin,
0:01:41 > 0:01:43with some cars taking two years to make.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48And it's the base of the legendary Marshall amplifier company.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52Milton Keynes has also forged a close-knit Christian community,
0:01:52 > 0:01:56and our first hymn comes from the Church of Christ the Cornerstone,
0:01:56 > 0:02:00led by the multi-award-winning songwriter and music producer
0:02:00 > 0:02:02Noel Robinson and his band.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30APPLAUSE
0:04:36 > 0:04:41Created 50 years ago in 1967, Milton Keynes has a track record
0:04:41 > 0:04:44for innovation, being first in the country
0:04:44 > 0:04:46to trial driverless vehicles.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51When it was built, Centre: MK was the largest indoor shopping mall
0:04:51 > 0:04:54in Europe - fitting for a place that from the very beginning
0:04:54 > 0:04:57set its sights on a pioneering future.
0:04:59 > 0:05:04New job, new home, new life in Milton Keynes.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10Residents were served by a network of historic churches,
0:05:10 > 0:05:13but in the following years, Milton Keynes would seek to develop
0:05:13 > 0:05:16new ways of serving its Christian community.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22When Milton Keynes was a twinkle in the planner's eye,
0:05:22 > 0:05:25the Anglicans, the Baptists, the Methodists,
0:05:25 > 0:05:28the Roman Catholics and the United Reformed Church,
0:05:28 > 0:05:33they came to the decision that they would build churches together.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35That's incredibly forward-thinking.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37We've got Roman Catholics and Protestants coming together,
0:05:37 > 0:05:41where in other parts of the country that certainly wasn't happening.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44Well, I think that there was a great excitement,
0:05:44 > 0:05:48a new excitement about this ecumenical movement.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51It was a great adventure for everybody here,
0:05:51 > 0:05:54and people felt that they were just on the cusp of building
0:05:54 > 0:05:59something really new and being able to contribute as Christians together
0:05:59 > 0:06:02into the building of a new city.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08Milton Keynes' ecumenical movement needed a focal point.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12Work began to build a space in the town centre where everyone could
0:06:12 > 0:06:18worship together. The result was the Church of Christ the Cornerstone.
0:06:19 > 0:06:24Officially opened in 1992, it became the UK's first purpose-built
0:06:24 > 0:06:29ecumenical church, serving five denominations under one roof.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32That same year, Her Majesty the Queen attended a special
0:06:32 > 0:06:36dedication ceremony to celebrate and bless this new building.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41Cheryl Montgomery was in the choir on the big day.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44The morning, we were all inside the church already
0:06:44 > 0:06:46for the Queen to arrive.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50And it was such a big occasion for Milton Keynes.
0:06:50 > 0:06:55So the heads of the churches were there, and it was just like saying,
0:06:55 > 0:06:58"Right, Milton Keynes, you are really important today."
0:07:03 > 0:07:07And the first notes of the music started.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10That was it, and off we went.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13That's my daughter...
0:07:13 > 0:07:14..and that's me.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19It was really a special occasion.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24For the last 50 years, 25 years,
0:07:24 > 0:07:26you are absolutely welcome.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28A quarter of a century later,
0:07:28 > 0:07:32and Cheryl is still singing with the Cornerstone Choir.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41We were always looking ahead
0:07:41 > 0:07:45and looking forward to being in a special place to be that
0:07:45 > 0:07:49special group of people who promised to work together.
0:07:52 > 0:07:57# Brother, sister Let me serve you... #
0:09:28 > 0:09:29Look at this.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33Freestyle football takes years of practice
0:09:33 > 0:09:35and has become a global phenomenon.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38- Really impressive.- Thanks, man.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41Christian Daniel Cutting is one of the world's leading experts,
0:09:41 > 0:09:44and hails from right here in Milton Keynes.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47How long have you been doing freestyling for?
0:09:47 > 0:09:49- It's been my full-time job for about eight years...- Yeah.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52..and I've been practising for probably nearer to 20 years.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54- So since you were a little kid?- Yeah.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56You have must have some records.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58I have got a couple of world records, yeah.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00Various different freestyle skills that you can do.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03Once I'd learned to kind of juggle the ball and do all the easy stuff,
0:10:03 > 0:10:06- the stuff you learnt when you were young...- I didn't even learn that!
0:10:06 > 0:10:09- ..I learned to kind of balance the ball on my head like this.- Yeah.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12And then once I'd learnt to get it there, I learnt to tilt
0:10:12 > 0:10:14- my head to the side and balance it in my temple.- Yeah.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16And then you roll it over and catch it. Roll it back.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19And basically over and back counts as a face roll,
0:10:19 > 0:10:22and I did 1,810 in a row.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25Wow, your neck must have been really aching after that!
0:10:25 > 0:10:27I didn't have anything to do for a spare hour that day,
0:10:27 > 0:10:29so I thought, why not go for it?
0:10:29 > 0:10:31At what stage do you get to that and think,
0:10:31 > 0:10:33"I'm just going to roll the ball on the top of my head"?
0:10:33 > 0:10:35No, it's really hard.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38Even balancing it there is difficult enough,
0:10:38 > 0:10:40and then it's that balance and trying to get it there, but then
0:10:40 > 0:10:44for ages I was up to here again, and then back to this side and then up.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47But it's trying to make it smooth, and make it look flawless.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50- Like rolling it around your head. - That's really impressive.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55Daniel holds a total of five world records,
0:10:55 > 0:10:59but didn't consider becoming a professional freestyler
0:10:59 > 0:11:03until he graduated in sport and PE from university,
0:11:03 > 0:11:06choosing a career in football over teaching.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10I just decided... Even from a young age
0:11:10 > 0:11:13I knew I had this gift and this ability to play football,
0:11:13 > 0:11:15and that wasn't even the tricks and skills.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17As a Christian, you know, I really believe
0:11:17 > 0:11:19that this was my God-given gift,
0:11:19 > 0:11:22and it was something that he wanted me to do.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24I can't say I ever had the voice of God saying,
0:11:24 > 0:11:25"Daniel, you will be a freestyler,"
0:11:25 > 0:11:27but I just had that sense in my spirit,
0:11:27 > 0:11:30and when I prayed through it with Mum and Dad and other friends
0:11:30 > 0:11:33and family, I just thought, you know, I'd be silly not to try this
0:11:33 > 0:11:36and to really go for something that I'm so passionate about.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38You've been a body double, as well, haven't you,
0:11:38 > 0:11:39for some famous footballers?
0:11:39 > 0:11:41I've done loads of body doubling over the years.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44It's always good to be in the adverts. My mum would prefer
0:11:44 > 0:11:46that my face was in them - she always says that.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48If you've got to body double for the pros and make them look good,
0:11:48 > 0:11:51I'm happy to do it. Even David Beckham, I've done things where it
0:11:51 > 0:11:52looks like he's doing the trick with
0:11:52 > 0:11:55- his feet, but it's actually me doing it.- That's incredible.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58David Beckham must have amazing skills, but yours are even better?
0:11:58 > 0:12:02Yeah, I am better than David Beckham at football skills, yeah, for sure.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05He's very good at football, obviously, but I'm better at skills.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08CHEERING
0:12:10 > 0:12:13Daniel now has one million followers on social media
0:12:13 > 0:12:17and travels the world showcasing his extraordinary talents.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21So I think people always think of God-given skills
0:12:21 > 0:12:24and abilities as the gift of leadership,
0:12:24 > 0:12:27or the gift of discernment, or the gift of encouragement.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30But God has given us so many different gifts, you know,
0:12:30 > 0:12:32physical gifts that you can actually use.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34He's given you the gift of tricks of football.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37- He's given me the gift of freestyle. - Not me.- Well, you're OK.
0:12:37 > 0:12:38You weren't too bad.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42- Yes!- Ooh!- Wow.
0:12:42 > 0:12:43Maybe a few more years' practice.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45But that's the amazing thing, isn't it?
0:12:45 > 0:12:48He's given me this gift and ability, and I really believe that.
0:12:48 > 0:12:52But it was still, you know, hours and hours of practice every day.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55Just because I had that God-given ability and skill,
0:12:55 > 0:12:57it didn't mean that I just woke up one day and went,
0:12:57 > 0:13:00"Whoa! Mum, look what I can do! I went to bed, woke up
0:13:00 > 0:13:02"and the ball was spinning on my finger."
0:13:02 > 0:13:05It was the hours of practice and the discipline, the perseverance
0:13:05 > 0:13:08which God's given me in order to actually get to this level.
0:13:11 > 0:13:12# Everybody do the...
0:13:14 > 0:13:16# Oh, yeah
0:13:17 > 0:13:20# Oh, yeah
0:13:23 > 0:13:24# Everybody say...
0:14:09 > 0:14:11# Everybody say...
0:14:24 > 0:14:26# Oh, yeah... #
0:14:29 > 0:14:30Shout freedom!
0:14:30 > 0:14:33- ALL:- Freedom!
0:14:33 > 0:14:35# Say...
0:14:56 > 0:14:58# Everybody say
0:15:07 > 0:15:09# Everybody say... #
0:15:27 > 0:15:29Freedom, yeah!
0:15:35 > 0:15:38Milton Keynes may be a relatively young town,
0:15:38 > 0:15:42but its Christian origins date back centuries.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44The Reverend John Newton moved to the village of Olney
0:15:44 > 0:15:49in what is now the borough of Milton Keynes in 1746.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52The religious writings of the former slave trader-turned-abolitionist
0:15:52 > 0:15:54would become world-famous,
0:15:54 > 0:15:58seeing his words turned into the lyrics of many loved hymns,
0:15:58 > 0:16:01including, of course, Amazing Grace.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08# Amazing Grace... #
0:19:12 > 0:19:15Noel Robinson is not your ordinary worship leader.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20Launching his studio recording career back in 1996,
0:19:20 > 0:19:23Noel has managed successfully to work in both the Christian
0:19:23 > 0:19:26and secular music worlds. And as well as winning awards,
0:19:26 > 0:19:29he's also toured with the likes of Gloria Gaynor and Chaka Khan.
0:19:29 > 0:19:37# Outrageous love You poor outrageous love on me... #
0:19:37 > 0:19:42So tell me about your love of music. Tell me about your inspirations.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45My dad, he loved music. He played guitar.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48And my mum played piano but she died when I was five.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53It would be me and my dad in the room,
0:19:53 > 0:19:55and he'd be playing his guitar, so I'd sit there watching him,
0:19:55 > 0:19:58and, you know, I think it was the thing that kept me quiet.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01And I'm just interested in how you write songs.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04I'm quite spontaneous, so it's quite possible for me to sit here
0:20:04 > 0:20:08and just create a song in a few seconds, in a few minutes.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10You know, I can do something...
0:20:10 > 0:20:15# Here I am, sitting down with you... #
0:20:15 > 0:20:17Can we call this Kate's Song?
0:20:17 > 0:20:19# Kate's song, singing
0:20:19 > 0:20:23# Kate's song, singing
0:20:23 > 0:20:27# Great songs With Kate
0:20:27 > 0:20:29# Songs... #
0:20:29 > 0:20:30- KATE LAUGHS - You know?
0:20:30 > 0:20:33# Freedom, yes... #
0:20:33 > 0:20:36Noel has been nominated four times for Mobo awards,
0:20:36 > 0:20:39and has worked with giants of the music industry.
0:20:39 > 0:20:40But his Christian faith led him
0:20:40 > 0:20:43to question pursuing a mainstream career.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49You had some pretty tough choices to make, didn't you,
0:20:49 > 0:20:54about what to chase after? Because you're really good...
0:20:55 > 0:20:58..and it could have been a whole different story for you.
0:20:58 > 0:21:04Very early on I recognised something that God was doing to me, and
0:21:04 > 0:21:09it was the choice to chase the music or the choice to chase the calling.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13You know, the Scripture in Romans 11, that says the gift and the call
0:21:13 > 0:21:16of God are without repentance, there's two things at stake here.
0:21:16 > 0:21:20If I chase the music, what I'm doing technically is chasing
0:21:20 > 0:21:24a dream of just playing with no content, often times.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27But if I chase the calling, it doesn't stop me from playing,
0:21:27 > 0:21:29but actually I find the content to play.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32And it's this content that shapes people.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34Music is beautiful in itself,
0:21:34 > 0:21:36it's the most amazing gift that God ever gave us.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39I say to people, there's only two gifts that came out of Heaven,
0:21:39 > 0:21:41and that's Jesus and music.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44- Any regrets?- No.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46I've not lost out in playing in venues.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50I've not lost out in meeting amazing people in the Christian world.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53I've played for some of the major Christian artists
0:21:53 > 0:21:55around the world, you know?
0:21:55 > 0:21:59I've got to know them as friends and toured the world,
0:21:59 > 0:22:02all because I followed my call.
0:22:02 > 0:22:03And I'm still doing it.
0:22:03 > 0:22:08If I can give hope to someone who's lost hope and get them to believe
0:22:08 > 0:22:14once again, even in themselves, then I feel that I'm achieving.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17The gift is measured by how good you are, how many hours
0:22:17 > 0:22:19you put to practise.
0:22:19 > 0:22:23But the call is discovered and you walk it by faith.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27That is the most exciting thing, wow, to walk my faith.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17With 170 miles of cycle lanes,
0:25:17 > 0:25:20Milton Keynes is certainly bike-friendly.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27This is my first time riding a bike since I was 15 years old,
0:25:27 > 0:25:31and a local Christian initiative is trying to persuade people like me
0:25:31 > 0:25:34to ditch four wheels in favour of two.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36Here we go... Whoa!
0:25:38 > 0:25:42Cycle Saviours is a church-backed project breathing new life
0:25:42 > 0:25:44into neglected bikes.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47It rose out of the fact that we recognise that about a million bikes
0:25:47 > 0:25:50were being thrown out nationally a year, and cycling is a really
0:25:50 > 0:25:53healthy thing, so we thought it would be really great.
0:25:53 > 0:25:54And where does faith fit into this?
0:25:54 > 0:25:58For me, this is part of expressing what I believe is God's concern
0:25:58 > 0:26:00for our communities and neighbourhoods,
0:26:00 > 0:26:02and it's really nice to be able to show
0:26:02 > 0:26:05that we're concerned about a whole range of things.
0:26:05 > 0:26:06Would you like this?
0:26:06 > 0:26:08- VOICEOVER:- Locals donate their old bikes...
0:26:08 > 0:26:10Look at that, look at that!
0:26:10 > 0:26:12..so they can be put to good use.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15- This has got cobwebs on the back wheel.- They're free.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18You don't have to charge for those. Or the bell.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22- How long has that been in your shed? - Two years.- Two years?- Yes.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27But there's more to this Christian initiative than just getting
0:26:27 > 0:26:29old bikes back on the road.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33This workshop is staffed by young trainees.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36Ben's 19 years old and struggled at school,
0:26:36 > 0:26:41but since coming here he's been able to develop his practical skills.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43What's the best thing about working here?
0:26:43 > 0:26:48It makes me happy and talk to people.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52And, yeah, have fun.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55And then just test the gears and brakes to see if it's all fine.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59Jack is 15 and admits to having behavioural issues.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03He's released from school to visit the project twice a week.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06What do you think it would have been like if you hadn't been able to come
0:27:06 > 0:27:09here two days a week and you'd had to stay in school full-time?
0:27:09 > 0:27:11I'd probably be kicked out right now.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14- So this has sort of saved you, hasn't it?- Yeah.
0:27:14 > 0:27:16It's helped me a lot.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20- You've saved the bikes, and the bikes have saved you.- Yeah.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24- Do you know what I think the best bit of the bike is, Ben?- Which one?
0:27:24 > 0:27:26This bit.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28HORN
0:27:28 > 0:27:29I like that bit!
0:27:32 > 0:27:36Cycle Saviours also maintain bikes for community groups
0:27:36 > 0:27:40like BucksVision. The charity for the visually impaired helped Elaine
0:27:40 > 0:27:44after she lost much of her sight five years ago.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46The day that I had to sell my bike,
0:27:46 > 0:27:50I'll admit I was actually in tears, cos it was like...
0:27:50 > 0:27:52I felt that my legs had been cut off
0:27:52 > 0:27:56because I couldn't get out there and enjoy the outdoors.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59But with the help of Cycle Saviours
0:27:59 > 0:28:04and co-rider Marcel, Elaine's back on the road doing what she loves.
0:28:04 > 0:28:08The first time I got on a tandem, it almost felt like I'd got
0:28:08 > 0:28:12something back that I'd lost, because I could hear the birds,
0:28:12 > 0:28:16I could hear, you know, the wind and everything.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19And for me it was like being back in the Lord's creation again.
0:28:23 > 0:28:30# I will sing the wondrous story... #
0:30:41 > 0:30:43Now, the Songs Of Praise Young Choir of the Year competition
0:30:43 > 0:30:47is open to all choirs whose members are school age.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50You can enter by going to our website...
0:30:53 > 0:30:56..where you'll find full details and terms and conditions.
0:30:56 > 0:31:00The closing date is December 1st, so no time to lose.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05Next week, in a special programme for remembrance,
0:31:05 > 0:31:08Claire McCollum is in Enniskillen where, 30 years ago,
0:31:08 > 0:31:12an IRA bomb exploded during a Remembrance Day ceremony.
0:31:15 > 0:31:18Our final piece of music is a wonderful hymn of thanks
0:31:18 > 0:31:21to lift the spirit and warm the heart.
0:31:21 > 0:31:22Until next time, goodbye.
0:31:55 > 0:31:57Sing it out, church!