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How friendly is the place where you live? A new survey has ranked the friendliness of 296 places across England, looking at trust, connection and loneliness. The Isles of Scilly came top, while Barking in East London came bottom. Esther spoke to Barking resident, writer and actor Silvano Griffith about her hometown’s dubious accolade — before chatting to Andy Hawthorne, founder of The Message, for some practical tips on building stronger community.
Released on 28 Aug 2026
How much do statues of Jesus draw people to faith? The world’s tallest statue of Jesus is being built in Armenia, with the 33-metre figure standing on a 44-metre platform. Due for completion in 2027, it’s already attracted attention — including opposition from the Armenian Apostolic Church. So when does a statue become a symbol of faith, and when could it become idolatry? Esther was joined by Dr Ian Bullock, CEO of the Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer, to discuss.
Pope Leo has been named one of Vanity Fair’s best-dressed men — but can what we wear say something about our faith? Celebrity stylist joins Esther to explore why he thinks some Christians have misunderstood Biblical teaching on fashion, and the subtle fashion faux pas that could distract from our message when we’re preaching the good news.
Isaac Anup Rana, Field Operations Director at World Vision Nepal, joins Mal Pope to reflect on the devastating flash floods in the Nepal-Tibet border region, the ongoing rescue efforts in the country’s hydroelectric tunnels, and how the charity is responding to the crisis on the ground.