Lost and Found: The Methodists

Lost & Found: The Methodists is a personal story about a Zimbabwean Mother’s search for a community and spiritual home she thought she had lost forever.

“Standing on the street corner, there were seven people dressed in red and white uniforms. I knew who they were."

Tendayi Pearce, the daughter of a Methodist minister, used to travel from England to Zimbabwe just to enjoy the church songs that she had sung as a child, until one day, her son saw a group of women wearing the traditional Zimbabwean Methodist church uniforms in Southend-on-Sea.

Tendayi tells the story of her journey to Britain and the loss of her connection to the church she had grown up with, before this chance encounter resulted in her connecting with hundreds of Zimbabweans across the country, long forgotten school friends, and creating her own branch of the church in Milton Keynes.

Lost and Found: The Methodists is a story about searching for something that was intrinsic to you and the magic that can happen once it is found again. It is a story of immigration and community which is rarely talked about - the connecting of communities across the country, which has a positive ripple effect on the individuals found within it, as well as the 'traditional British' communities and institutions.

Written, presented and produced by Daniel Pearce
Featuring Tendayi Pearce, Martin Nyamupingidza & Annah Mwadiwa
Sound Design and Editing: Daniel Pearce
Choir Recording and TX Mastering: Jerry Peal
Exec Producer: Gordon Kennedy
Music recorded at Freeman Memorial Methodist Church, Bletchley
Featuring The Milton Keynes Zimbabwean Fellowship Choir and Shalom Trumpet

An Absolutely production for BBC Radio 4

Commissioned in association with the Multitrack Audio Producers Fellowship for new talent in feature-making