0:00:04 > 0:00:05Welcome to Songs Of Praise from North Wales.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08Today, I'm joining rock legend Mike Peters from the Welsh band
0:00:08 > 0:00:10The Alarm and his lovely wife Jules on one of their charity
0:00:10 > 0:00:11walks across the country.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14Today, they're heading to Offa's Dyke. Hi, guys. How are you?
0:00:14 > 0:00:16Lovely to see you. I'm good. Group hug. Well, listen.
0:00:16 > 0:00:17I've got my walking boots on.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19Shall we go for it? Let's do it, let's do it. Let's go.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22Are you ready, everybody? ALL: Yes!
0:00:22 > 0:00:24Offa's Dyke, here we come. Here we go. Let's go.
0:00:24 > 0:00:25Hey!
0:00:25 > 0:00:27APPLAUSE
0:00:48 > 0:00:52This week, we're in the North Wales region of St Asaph.
0:00:52 > 0:00:58We have hymns from the Cathedral and discover how it's produced two royal composers of sacred music.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02I catch up with musician Mike Peters on his charity walk and hear
0:01:02 > 0:01:06how his faith has helped him with his 20-year battle with cancer.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10I turn to faith a lot, especially in the darker passages of the cancer
0:01:10 > 0:01:12journey which everyone has to go through.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15And Kate Bottley meets the hospital chaplain who's using
0:01:15 > 0:01:19the power of music to break down barriers with dementia patients.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21Godfrey, you've got an amazing voice. Oh, I know I have!
0:01:21 > 0:01:23LAUGHTER
0:01:30 > 0:01:32Today, we're walking along this dramatic footpath
0:01:32 > 0:01:35built by King Offa in the eighth century
0:01:35 > 0:01:38to create a border between England and Wales.
0:01:39 > 0:01:44To the west is St Asaph, which has the smallest cathedral in the United Kingdom.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47That's where our opening hymn comes from, ideal for a walk, this one.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49Guide me O Thou Great Jehovah.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48A great hymn sung in this wonderful cathedral.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Kate Bottley came to St Asaph to meet the composer
0:04:51 > 0:04:54whose calling to write sacred music happened right here.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01Paul Mealor may not be a familiar face but his music has made him
0:05:01 > 0:05:03one of Britain's best-loved composers.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06# Light after darkness... #
0:05:06 > 0:05:09Paul wrote the number one hit single Wherever You Are
0:05:09 > 0:05:12for Gareth Malone's Military Wives.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16It was his suggestion was that he would get the wives to send
0:05:16 > 0:05:18the letters that they had sent to their husbands
0:05:18 > 0:05:22and partners overseas, so of course, I was given the greatest honour
0:05:22 > 0:05:25to be able to read these very personal letters.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27The very first one I open up says,
0:05:27 > 0:05:29"Wherever you are, my heart will keep you safe."
0:05:31 > 0:05:32And I thought, well, that's it.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35What does it mean to you, music?
0:05:35 > 0:05:36Music is everything.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40I think it was St Augustine who said that he who sings, prays twice,
0:05:40 > 0:05:43and I think for me, music and sacred music is at the heart of everything I do.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45I'd had a religious experience when I was a kid.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48I'd fallen into a river and I couldn't swim and I was dying.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50I was nine and during that moment,
0:05:50 > 0:05:53a huge warmth came over me and I felt, actually,
0:05:53 > 0:05:55"Well, this isn't such a bad thing."
0:05:55 > 0:05:59Anyway, I was dragged out and resuscitated and I said to my parents,
0:05:59 > 0:06:02"I want to find out what that warmth was," and they brought me here.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05And as I walked in as a little kid, thinking I was maybe,
0:06:05 > 0:06:07it was the priesthood that was calling me,
0:06:07 > 0:06:13I heard the choir singing here in the stalls and I said to Dad, "This is it. This is what I'm after."
0:06:13 > 0:06:18CHORAL SINGING
0:06:18 > 0:06:21It's an amazing place, isn't it? It is. It's a stunning place.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25Can you imagine coming here as a little kid and being surrounded by all this?
0:06:25 > 0:06:26For me, it was unbelievable.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28Where did you sit? Well, it was either one side or the other,
0:06:28 > 0:06:31depending on how naughty I'd been! Here in the front row.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34Why does it not surprise me that you were the naughty choirboy?
0:06:34 > 0:06:39CHORAL SINGING
0:06:39 > 0:06:42Paul is following in the footsteps of another illustrious
0:06:42 > 0:06:47composer from here at St Asaph's Cathedral - William Mathias,
0:06:47 > 0:06:50who composed a choral piece for the wedding of Prince Charles
0:06:50 > 0:06:52and Lady Diana.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55# Let the people praise Thee, O God
0:06:55 > 0:06:59# Yea, let all the people praise Thee. #
0:07:00 > 0:07:02He taught me to be the composer that I want to be
0:07:02 > 0:07:05and not to follow fads or trends or anything like that.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08Just do and say what's in your head musically.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12It took me a long time to realise what great advice that was.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14But it certainly was.
0:07:15 > 0:07:1730 years later,
0:07:17 > 0:07:21Paul would emulate his mentor by composing the music for another
0:07:21 > 0:07:25royal wedding, this time the union of Prince William and Catherine.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28Do you see that gift
0:07:28 > 0:07:31as something that is your responsibility to share?
0:07:31 > 0:07:34I think, for me, composing sacred music or music that has
0:07:34 > 0:07:37a spiritual aspect to it is a kind of surrogate priesthood.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41It's saying what...that which I couldn't really have done otherwise,
0:07:41 > 0:07:45and so, yes, I think there is an aspect of service in it.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48Now, to perform one of Paul's compositions
0:07:48 > 0:07:52in this beautiful cathedral is the Anglesey Youth Choir.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57# I am the gentle light
0:07:57 > 0:08:00# The stars at night
0:08:00 > 0:08:05# The morning bright
0:08:06 > 0:08:09# I am the still small voice
0:08:09 > 0:08:13# The living choice
0:08:13 > 0:08:17# The hearts rejoice
0:08:18 > 0:08:22# And if you follow me
0:08:22 > 0:08:30# I'll be with you for all eternity
0:08:31 > 0:08:35# I will hold on to you
0:08:35 > 0:08:43# My love will set you free
0:08:46 > 0:08:50# I am forever love
0:08:50 > 0:08:53# Light from above
0:08:53 > 0:08:58# The peaceful dove
0:08:59 > 0:09:02# I am your loving friend
0:09:02 > 0:09:06# Your heart I tend
0:09:06 > 0:09:10# Until the end
0:09:11 > 0:09:15# And if you follow me
0:09:15 > 0:09:23# I'll be with you for all eternity
0:09:24 > 0:09:29# I will hold on to you
0:09:29 > 0:09:34# My love will set you
0:09:34 > 0:09:38# Free
0:09:39 > 0:09:45# I am forever
0:09:45 > 0:09:52# My love will set you
0:09:52 > 0:09:55# Free. #
0:10:10 > 0:10:14Mike Peters from the rock band The Alarm and his wife Jules
0:10:14 > 0:10:19are walking across north Wales to raise money for NHS cancer services.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23Today's walk is a far cry from the early days of Mike's career.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25One, two, three, four.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30He formed his band, The Alarm, in 1981
0:10:30 > 0:10:33and they toured America supporting U2.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36It was during this time that he found his faith.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40I really learned a lot from them about spirituality, about faith.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43Before they went on stage they'd have prayer meetings
0:10:43 > 0:10:46with not just the band but the crew and the people on the tour
0:10:46 > 0:10:51and I really got to experience how it brought everyone together.
0:10:51 > 0:10:56It really brought faith alive for me as an individual.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59I love reading about Jesus turning the tables over,
0:10:59 > 0:11:02and that seemed to me that Jesus was a punk rocker, you know?
0:11:02 > 0:11:04And then just creating the wine.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07I thought, he's a bit rock and roll as well.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10Mike and the band have enjoyed huge success,
0:11:10 > 0:11:13selling millions of records worldwide.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16But, behind-the-scenes, for the past 20 years,
0:11:16 > 0:11:19he's had his own personal battle with cancer
0:11:19 > 0:11:23and is now fighting leukaemia for the third time.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27Did you find yourself turning to faith when you were diagnosed?
0:11:27 > 0:11:29A lot of people do, don't they? Very much so.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32You have to have that faith to keep moving
0:11:32 > 0:11:37and I turned to that a lot, especially in the darker passages
0:11:37 > 0:11:39of the cancer journey, which everyone has to go through.
0:11:39 > 0:11:44I often say that I've been blessed with cancer in a weird, strange way.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48What do you mean by that? It's changed my life in so many ways.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50It's made me a better person, it's made me more appreciative
0:11:50 > 0:11:52of the world I live in.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55It's taken me on some incredible journeys with other people
0:11:55 > 0:11:57who have done incredible things.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01I would never have done that if cancer hadn't come into my life.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03I think it makes you learn to be calm,
0:12:03 > 0:12:07learn to stay strong and learn to be grateful for all that we have.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11Mike put his faith into action
0:12:11 > 0:12:15and in 2007 the couple set up their Love Hope Strength Foundation
0:12:15 > 0:12:18to raise money to support other cancer patients.
0:12:18 > 0:12:23It's seen them walk all over the world, from Snowdon to Everest.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27I think we just felt compelled to do this
0:12:27 > 0:12:32because of everything that others gave up for our good health.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36It's very difficult to explain how compassionate the care was
0:12:36 > 0:12:39for both of us and we have grown up with these doctors
0:12:39 > 0:12:40and nurses in north Wales...
0:12:40 > 0:12:44We're very lucky to have them, aren't we? Yes. We're so lucky.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46You can keep saying it, and we want to keep saying it,
0:12:46 > 0:12:48and that's why we're walking, really.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53Many of the walkers have their own reasons for wanting to be involved.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56Trish is recovering from breast cancer.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59I spoke to Mike about how he felt when he was diagnosed
0:12:59 > 0:13:02and he said that it had made him more spiritual, in a way.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05Would you agree? You look at your life completely different.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08People go through life and they don't think of what's going on
0:13:08 > 0:13:11and the next thing you're faced with, you might not be here.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15My daughter's called Faith. We try and explain to Faith
0:13:15 > 0:13:17about God and angels and things like that
0:13:17 > 0:13:22and just try and keep it alive for her because you never know.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59Wherever Mike and Jules go on their charity walks, they also
0:14:59 > 0:15:03ask people to join the list of potential bone marrow donors.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07The donor drive involves cheek swabbing people
0:15:07 > 0:15:10who are aged between 17 and 55, put them on
0:15:10 > 0:15:12the International Bone Marrow Donor Registry
0:15:12 > 0:15:15and give more people a fighting chance to find a match to live.
0:15:15 > 0:15:20So far, 151,000 people have signed up to the list
0:15:20 > 0:15:24and 3,500 life-saving matches have been made.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28One person who became a donor is Kevin Davies.
0:15:28 > 0:15:33A year after donating, he received a card from his recipient in Germany.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36"Dear friendly saviour, with this card
0:15:36 > 0:15:40"I am thanking you for going through the trouble of saving my life.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43"I am expecting my English to improve overnight
0:15:43 > 0:15:46"and to get cravings for fish and chips."
0:15:48 > 0:15:50How did you feel? I felt...
0:15:50 > 0:15:54It's made me feel very different as a human being.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57I cannot beat this. I cannot beat this.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00I cannot do anything better in my life than save somebody's life.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54One of the hospitals benefiting from Mike and Jules' charity work
0:18:54 > 0:18:56is Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59The Reverend Kate Bottley has been enjoying a sing-along
0:18:59 > 0:19:00with the chaplain there,
0:19:00 > 0:19:04who's using his unique talents to help patients on the dementia ward.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08Dementia is a distressing illness.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11People who live with it find themselves trapped within a world
0:19:11 > 0:19:14of their own, while their loved ones and carers look helplessly on.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19Wynne Roberts, chaplain here at Bangor's biggest hospital,
0:19:19 > 0:19:21has found his patients love singing
0:19:21 > 0:19:25and it helps them to communicate with their loved ones.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29# Take my hand
0:19:31 > 0:19:37# Take my whole life too... #
0:19:38 > 0:19:40They're living in difficult times.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43They're going through life with dementia
0:19:43 > 0:19:46and so therefore what I find is that the music,
0:19:46 > 0:19:50especially Elvis music in my case, it actually takes them back to their
0:19:50 > 0:19:53younger years, they're teenagers again, they're in love again,
0:19:53 > 0:19:55they're singing all those songs
0:19:55 > 0:19:58which were a part of their history and their memories.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01APPLAUSE
0:20:02 > 0:20:04When you see the fact that they remember every word
0:20:04 > 0:20:08and that they come up and they sing with you,
0:20:08 > 0:20:10it's just sheer joy.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13# It's not himself
0:20:13 > 0:20:15# More than you have... #
0:20:16 > 0:20:19Godfrey, you've got an amazing voice. Oh, I know I have.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21LAUGHTER
0:20:21 > 0:20:25That's why I sing in the choir. It's like a light comes on.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29If it wasn't for music, he'd sit in the chair and sleep all day.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33But the reality of it is, he will have forgotten all of this
0:20:33 > 0:20:34by the time we get home.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43And I understand there's a special motivation for you,
0:20:43 > 0:20:46a very personal reason why this is important. Yes.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48It's because of my dear mum.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51She has dementia and she's in a very good nursing home
0:20:51 > 0:20:55and one day I just felt so sorry for everybody there
0:20:55 > 0:20:58and so I started learning the songs and I went in there to sing,
0:20:58 > 0:21:01because I remember 50 years ago
0:21:01 > 0:21:04sitting with my mum watching television,
0:21:04 > 0:21:07watching an Elvis film, singing those songs with her.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11And now I'm able to actually do it with her now so that's precious.
0:21:12 > 0:21:17# Shackled by the heavy
0:21:17 > 0:21:19# Burden... #
0:21:20 > 0:21:23I believe very much that spirituality, particularly being
0:21:23 > 0:21:26a hospital chaplain, isn't just about going to church or singing
0:21:26 > 0:21:31a hymn, spirituality is far wider than that in people's lives.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33I love it. It's like God called you to be a priest
0:21:33 > 0:21:36and called you to be Elvis as well. Yes.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39That's like a double blessing, isn't it? I think it is.
0:21:39 > 0:21:41And when you actually find that people,
0:21:41 > 0:21:45when you do sing a song, which you don't think is a spiritual song
0:21:45 > 0:21:49very often, those are the songs which actually give people peace,
0:21:49 > 0:21:52give people strength and give people hope.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56# That's the wonder
0:21:56 > 0:21:59# The wonder of you. #
0:22:00 > 0:22:02Do you love to sing? Yes, I do.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05Seeing him enjoying himself, that makes a difference, yes.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12Thank you. Goodbye.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36We're coming to the end of our walk today.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39In the distance we can see Prestatyn.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42It's where Mike and Jules Peters first met
0:24:42 > 0:24:44and fell in love 30 years ago.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49When it happens to yourself, you kind of know.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52Two weeks after we met, we got engaged.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56Our parents thought we were absolutely crazy but I knew,
0:24:56 > 0:24:58Jules knew.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00It was binding, right there and then.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04And I knew nothing in life would break it.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08Their love and faith continues to get them through
0:25:08 > 0:25:10Mike's ongoing battle with leukaemia.
0:25:10 > 0:25:17Then, in 2016, came the devastating news that Jules had breast cancer.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20I am prepared
0:25:20 > 0:25:23and I've had lots of experience of dealing with these moments
0:25:23 > 0:25:26so if it's going to have to happen to anyone,
0:25:26 > 0:25:28you know, I think I can manage it.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32But your world must have really rocked
0:25:32 > 0:25:35when you were diagnosed as well.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37That was the hardest for me.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39He's looked the most worried I've ever seen him
0:25:39 > 0:25:41over the last six months.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43I found it easy to be strong for myself
0:25:43 > 0:25:47but I find it very testing to be strong for Jules.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50He was the most amazing partner and he was there for me
0:25:50 > 0:25:53every step of the way, he came to every single chemotherapy session,
0:25:53 > 0:25:56got up first thing in the morning, brought me my cup of tea.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58That was all the stuff that really helped me.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03Do you feel that God's looking after you?
0:26:03 > 0:26:05In his own way, he's looking after all of us.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09That's the message that comes through the Church,
0:26:09 > 0:26:11through the Bible, through the teachings of Jesus.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15You're going to perform a song for us as well.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19What does that song mean to you? It's a song I wrote in 1985
0:26:19 > 0:26:24called Walk Forever By My Side and it's a hymn-like song.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27It's a song which has been sung in churches all over the world.
0:26:27 > 0:26:29People have been getting married.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32Jules and I sang the song on our wedding day.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36It's a song that, from my point of view,
0:26:36 > 0:26:38has a multi-layer of meanings.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43# I'll walk
0:26:43 > 0:26:48# Forever by your side
0:26:48 > 0:26:52# Never lose sight of the day
0:26:54 > 0:26:57# When we will run
0:26:59 > 0:27:03# Through all our weakness
0:27:04 > 0:27:07# On through the fields
0:27:09 > 0:27:13# Strewn with our broken
0:27:14 > 0:27:19# Dreams
0:27:20 > 0:27:23# I'll walk
0:27:23 > 0:27:25# Forever
0:27:25 > 0:27:30# By your side
0:27:33 > 0:27:36# Walk on
0:27:36 > 0:27:41# Till morning
0:27:42 > 0:27:50# Always by your side
0:27:52 > 0:27:56# Walk on
0:27:56 > 0:28:01# Till morning
0:28:02 > 0:28:09# Always by your side
0:28:16 > 0:28:18# I hope
0:28:19 > 0:28:23# You'll stay with me tonight
0:28:24 > 0:28:29# Lift the veil from my eyes
0:28:30 > 0:28:33# For I am weak
0:28:35 > 0:28:38# And I am foolish
0:28:39 > 0:28:43# I need your love
0:28:44 > 0:28:49# To see me through this
0:28:50 > 0:28:55# Darkness
0:28:55 > 0:29:00# I hope you'll stay
0:29:00 > 0:29:05# With me tonight
0:29:07 > 0:29:11# I'll walk
0:29:11 > 0:29:18# On till morning
0:29:18 > 0:29:25# Always by your side
0:29:27 > 0:29:30# To help me make it through
0:29:30 > 0:29:34# So walk forever by my side
0:29:35 > 0:29:39# Walk on
0:29:40 > 0:29:44# Always by your side. #
0:29:47 > 0:29:50So, there it is, Mike, Prestatyn. The end is in sight.
0:29:50 > 0:29:52That's it. A beautiful sight it is too.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55I've never been so pleased to see it. Listen, you're an inspiration.
0:29:55 > 0:29:57Thank you, Aled. Thanks for letting me walk with you.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00It's been a pleasure. Brilliant. See you down there. Bye-bye.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03Next week, Katherine Jenkins is in Hastings to find out how
0:30:03 > 0:30:07the battle of 1066 changed British Christianity.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10William the Conqueror caused the Abbey's high altar
0:30:10 > 0:30:13to be built where he had won his great victory.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16And Claire McCollum cheers on the Christian teenager
0:30:16 > 0:30:20who's representing Great Britain in the World Transplant Games.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23Now, we're going to end with a Welsh favourite, Blaenwern,
0:30:23 > 0:30:26that sums up what God's love is all about.
0:34:11 > 0:34:13'From the heights of the Scottish Highlands
0:34:13 > 0:34:17'to the shores of East Anglia, I've travelled across Britain...'
0:34:17 > 0:34:18We got a fish!