All Things Considered

As the 60th anniversary of the Aberfan Disaster approaches, Jonathan Thomas hears powerful first-hand memories from two people whose lives were shaped by that tragic day.

Retired Methodist minister Rev Irving Penberthy recalls ministering to families in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, while Gareth Davies, who was just five years old and a pupil at Pantglas School, reflects on his experiences as a survivor. Together they explore how faith, community and resilience helped Aberfan endure its darkest days, and what those memories mean six decades on. Featuring reflections inspired by the exhibition Aberfan 60: The Days After, this programme offers a moving and thoughtful look at suffering and faith.

Black History month often looks back at struggle, but what would flourishing look like now?

For the discussion, Azim Ahmed is joined by:

Richard LIttledale and a panel of guests look at the subject of friendship.

What is it? Why does it matter? And what, if anything, does faith have to say about it?

Richard is joined by:

This year marks five decades since the death of the pianist, composer and conductor, Meirion Williams. From Dyffryn Ardudwy, Gwynedd - his music has been performed by artists including Sir Bryn Terfel and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.

He mostly worked in London and was the organist for St Benet’s Welsh Church in the nineteen sixties and seventies. While there he wrote a Missa Cambrensis, a mass, but the composition was then lost and it was feared that it would never be heard again.

Through complete chance it was found recently. It will be performed for the first time in decades in a special anniversary concert on Saturday 3rd October at The Borough Welsh Chapel in London.

Rosa Hunt finds out how the missing mass was rediscovered and talks to the people who found it and members of the choir who are are performing it for the first time in fifty years.

Azim Ahmed takes a tour of the Logos Hope, a Christian missionary ship where all of the crew, even the Captain, are volunteers.

Known as the World’s biggest floating Book Fair, it sails around the globe trying to share the Gospel and promote literacy. Currently docked in Britannica Quay in Cardiff Bay, it's in Wales for the first time since 2009. After the 29th of September it heads to destinations including Belfast, Liverpool, the Isle of Man and Malta.

The project began as an idea for a safer traveling ministry in the early 1960s with the first ship purchased in 1970. Azim learns the history of the ship and meets some of the volunteers from around the world who call it home.

Rosa Hunts meets staff and volunteers at Tir Dewi, a charity set up to help farming families facing hardship. Farming is an industry where people experience higher than average rates of poor mental health, and in 2015, Eileen Davies, a farmer in West Wales, set up Tir Dewi to help support farmers in need. Now, in 2026, Tir Dewi has been nominated for the BBC Make a Difference award recognising the exceptional work of the organisation and its dedicated volunteers.

Rosa hears from the farming community in Wales about the particular difficulties they're facing due to the prolonged dry weather this summer. She speaks to Aled Jones, former president of the National Farmer's Union of Wales, about the impact this has had on the farming community, and to Katherine Langton, a young farmer running a successful vegetable box business that's suffered setbacks due to the lack of rain.

We visit Wyn Thomas, Head of Casework and Volunteers at Tir Dewi at the Newcastle Emlyn livestock mart, and speak to volunteer Glyn Williams, who dedicates many hours to helping farmers in need.

The 8th September marks Accession day, the day when King Charles officially became sovereign. In 2026 the day is being marked with a service to install the Dean of the Chapel Royal in Wales.

Jonathan Thomas talks to those at the heart of this newly formed chaplaincy to find out how and why these positions are coming to Wales. We learn about the history of the Royal chaplains and two of the chaplains talk about their significant new roles and responsibilities.

Artist, writer and cartoonist Sophie Killingley joins us to talk about life, family, faith and the insights behind her book Blessed Are the Neurodivergent: Embracing Neurodiversity as a reflection of God’s creativity within the church.

A city shrouded in myth, which was purported to contain the Tower of Babel and the Hanging Gardens. It’s mentioned over two hundred times in the Bible but what does Babylon mean today? A decadent destination? A lost location? A misunderstood metropolis?

Richard Littledale discusses this with the Reverend Professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones from the School of History, Archaeology and Religion at Cardiff University. He’s the author of “Babylon. The Mother of all Cities”

This year marks one hundred years since the Adoption of Children Act first created a legal framework for adoption in England and Wales. Over the last century, thousands of children have found permanent families, and adoption itself has changed enormously as our understanding of childhood, trauma, attachment and family life has evolved.

Jonathan and Rebecca Thomas go on a deeply personal journey to meet the people who shaped their own experience of adopting. It all began when Jonathan heard an interview on BBC Radio Wales more than a decade ago. It was with an adoptive father, Arfon Jones, speaking about the joy adoption has brought to his family. Jonathan returns to meet Arfon 14 years later to reflect on the significance of that interview.

Rebecca explores the remarkable changes in adoption over the last century with solicitor Becki Thomas, who was herself adopted as a baby. Together they examine how adoption has evolved to a system that places the welfare, identity and life story of the child at its heart.

We meet Pat Norbury, who was adopted in the 1950s. Raised in a loving family, Pat nevertheless carried unanswered questions throughout her childhood. She shares how meeting her birth mother brought healing and understanding, and why she feels giving children the chance to learn about their birth story is so vital today.

Lastly Rebecca meets foster carer and adoptive parent Sian Edwards, whose Christian faith and commitment to vulnerable children has shaped more than two decades of fostering and adoption. Sian explains how therapeutic parenting has transformed the way she supports children who have experienced early trauma, and shares moving stories of the breakthroughs, trust and relationships that have grown over many years of compassionate care.