Sorted Magazine

Author: Val Fraser

  • Review: Taming of a Villain

    Digital Editor’s Note: I’m excited and proud to welcome Rob Allwright as our Guest Writer here at the Sorted Magazine website. Rob brings a wealth of experience and is one of the most respected Christian reviewers in the UK. The energy Rob devotes to supporting and encouraging Christian creatives is staggering. His review show One Man In The Middle is broadcast by Branch FM, Heartsong Live and Hope FM. And I’m just a teensy bit excited that he will soon be joining the wonderful peeps at the Manchester based broadcaster Konnect Radio!

    Rob writes: As a young Christian, I loved to read inspirational stories and autobiographies like Run Baby Run and The Cross and the Switchblade and many others. Having matured, I now realise how encouraging it was to have strong Christian parents and a Church that taught me the Bible. Taming of a Villain by Allen Langham is a story of the remarkable change that happens when someone searches and finds the truth of Jesus through their brokenness.

    The story of Allen Langham is one of trouble from an early age. His Father and Mother were not married and his Dad left when he was just 18 months old. Life was tough and Allen was regularly disciplined to ‘toughen him up’ with a stick and then at just fourteen years old his Mum died of a cerebral haemorrhage. This is something that haunted Allen through much of his adult life. From this point on Allen struggled with anger and rage which he would use sometimes to stand up for women and sometimes to pick on those weaker than himself.

    Some things were going well for him and his natural sports talent were starting to show, initially in football but then this developed into a love and skill in Rugby League. This turned into a small job before he signed a contract with the Sheffield Eagles for £3000. While life seemed to be taking an upwards turn Allen found his comfort clubbing, fighting, selling and taking recreational drugs. It wasn’t long before his gangster life caught up with his professional life and at the age of 18, he was sent to prison for the first time for a few months for Actual Bodily Harm after attacking four police officers on a night out. This was the end of his time with the Eagles and the beginning of his descent into Heroin addiction and 15 years in and out of prison for escalating charges to do with violence.

    As with many of these stories, there is quite a bit of time spent describing what life was like. Some of these books can be guilty of making that past, and that life attractive and glamorous, that is not the case for this story. It is a very slippery slope that Allen gets onto and his life swirls out of control. At no point in reading this did I wish that I was living this lifestyle of drugs and violence, it seems to be told and shown that there was a lot of despair in his life. At times Allen does throw something about his life now into the mix that is relevant. He also signposts some of those things that were clear pointers towards what God was going to do with his life, long before it happened. Most times that Allen went to prison he finds himself gravitating towards the chaplaincy and reading and learning about different religious traditions, clearly, he was seeking for something to help him change.

    It is no secret that in a book like this there is an experience with God of some kind when someone reaches out with the message of hope. I don’t want to ruin this story by giving too much away. What I do like about this story is that Allen’s life didn’t suddenly become perfect straight away. For Allen, there was a sudden change, a change in the desires that he found within himself, but it didn’t change the situation that he had left himself in overnight. Suddenly though Allen was open to the love of Jesus, he lessened his need for other things to support him, but he still had to deal with his habits and even those habits that some would describe as good, such as his zeal in telling other people about Jesus, which got him into trouble with some people in the churches he had been attending.

    There were other things that also had to be resolved in his life. Some issues surrounding his childhood, his mother’s death, his family and the damaged relationships there, all these things needed to be dealt with and you can’t just say “I’ve changed” and expect everyone to see it and understand it straight away. As we get to the end of the book, we can see there is a growing maturity to his faith, as he has through the years dealt with the issues, and even in the writing of this book has discovered new things that had to be dealt with.


    This is an inspiring story which God is using, as Allen is given a platform to share it personally. It isn’t the most eloquent book, it feels like it is Allen himself talking to you about his life for much of it and that conveys his personality. I also noticed that there are some issues of typesetting which were a little odd for a book like this, with punctuation dropping down to the next line and even at one point the final line of a chapter being printed above the next chapter heading. All in all, this is a captivating story and for me, it shows that no one is too far gone to be reached with the good news of Jesus Christ, and sometimes, like the Prodigal Son, we have to get to our very lowest point before we see the Father’s overwhelming love and grace for us.

    Taming of a Villain by Allen Langham | Free Delivery at Eden

    Main Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lion Hudson

  • Faith: Churches bring hope to Zimbabwe despite social and economic hardship

    Faith: Churches bring hope to Zimbabwe despite social and economic hardship

    Churches in Zimbabwe, supported by the charity Tearfund, are working to help families overcome poverty despite a backdrop of plummeting social and economic fortunes.

    A number of factors have meant Zimbabwe is facing hardship. Climate change has hampered food production, financial crises such as hyperinflation have discouraged investment and HIV has left Zimbabwe with 1.3 million orphans.

    Tearfund’s local partner in the country, Zimbabwe Orphans Through Extended Hands (ZOE), was set up in 2003 as a response to the number of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. Today, ZOE continues to support local churches as they work to meet their communities’ needs.

    Kester Munzara, 56, lives north of the capital Harare and was unable to provide food for her family or send her children to school. Kester said: “Before I met the people for ZOE I was behind in life. It would hurt when I couldn’t provide for my children and I would pray day and night.”

    Working through local partners, Tearfund has helped support families like Kester’s, so they can build on the skills and resources they already have. Kester received training through ZOE, such as conservation farming, which meant she was able to grow maize and raise cattle.

    Kester said: “We were taught about self-help groups and how to start income generating projects. I bought cattle after I was taught conservation farming by ZOE. I then bought a cart and a plough and started sending my children to school. We are now a people who can work for ourselves. I am even now able to employ others.”

    This harvest season, when Christians traditionally share food parcels with the wider community in need, Tearfund is launching an appeal for funds to support communities to grow their own food. Tearfund does this by providing skills and training through the local church alongside local partners to provide training which builds the community’s resilience.

    In March, a report from Tearfund showed that churches in Africa are highly effective catalysts for helping communities lift themselves out of poverty. Individuals surveyed in the report saw improvement in every measured aspect of economic and social wellbeing, including access to food, medicine or schooling, resilience to unexpected events, and financial earnings.

    Elizabeth Myendo, who leads Tearfund’s Disaster Response work in Southern and Eastern Africa, said: “Zimbabwe has seen multiple crises for years, yet with funds from Tearfund supporters, we can help more families adapt and grow despite their circumstances, as we have seen in Kester’s case.

    “Tearfund’s support has helped people across the world in initiating their community development and addressing the community needs, through building health centres and schools, through access to clean water, by building roads and bridges, all while using their own resources.”

    Main Photo Credit: Tigzozo Media/Tearfund
  • Faith: Planks and splinters

    Faith: Planks and splinters

    Too much self-criticism is unhealthy, but being completely blinkered where our own actions are concerned won’t win us any friends.

    The restaurant was a welcome oasis; we sat down at the outside table with a sigh of relief. Jerusalem’s suk, the bazaar, was a bustling mass of humanity. Shoppers scurried around like ants, hunting for a bargain one of them uselessly haggling about items that cost less than a pound. Street traders hurried through the labyrinth of cobbled streets, huge trays of fresh bread and bagels impossibly balanced atop their heads. The exotic smell of spices hung fragrant in the air.

    But there was an added element to the atmosphere – religion. A wailing summons to worship blared out from a speaker atop a mosque, an insistent cry to the faithful. And, as a group of Christian pilgrims, we had found inspiration in seeing the old, old story come to life. We had been moved by the old olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane, their twisted limbs a prophetic picture of the agony and struggle that Jesus experienced there. Galilee’s rural simplicity had been a tonic, and the beach at Tabgha is always a joy. It was there that Jesus cooked breakfast for His weary friends, an unusual act after beating the powers of death and hell in His resurrection but a beautiful example of His relentless care.

    We were hungry for our lunch and a smiling waiter had welcomed us and offered menus. Suddenly, a group of Christians plonked themselves down at the table next to us. Their t-shirts loudly announced that they were believers: “I follow a Jewish carpenter” said one. Another had “Faithbook: Add Jesus as a friend”, which either suggested that the wearer was (a) into social media or (b) wrestling with a lisp, or both. Incredibly, a third proclaimed that: “The world is a battlefield, God is my weapon. The Bible is my ammo.” What? God is my weapon? The Bible is ammo? Ammunition is used to kill people. Apparently, this group had all shopped at hideousreligioustshirts.com for their attire.

    But their fashion choices were just the beginning of sorrows. Seemingly oblivious to the fact that sitting in a food establishment usually means ordering from the menu they opened their bags and tucked into the sandwiches that they’d brought with them. One of them eve produced a Thermos flask with hot drinks. And of course, no eating began before a lengthy prayer of grace was shared, asking the Lord to bless the food. The restaurant owner was probably not greatly blessed himself, but smiled patiently. I wondered how many times he, an orthodox Jew, witnessed this kind of thing. I shot him a look, but there was no hint of frustration. This must have been a regular event that he’d grown used to: Christians behaving badly.

    Something similar happened when Kay and I attended a large national prayer event. A hug queue of people lined up patiently to get in. The presence of the President of the the United Sates meant that security was high, and creating a secure environment takes time. Suddenly a leader and his entourage rudely pushed their way to the front. I informed the queue-jumpers that they should take their place at the back of the line: “That’s where we were just now” one of them glowered, somewhat menacingly, “And now we’re here.” And there they stood, bustling for first place, into a prayer meeting. I contemplated further action, but a punch-up prior to a period of intercession would be quite unseemly. The incongruity of pushing in to pray apparently didn’t occur. Christians behaving badly.

    Jesus warns us against allowing a dab of piety to blind us to obvious realities. Being picky about gnats but swallowing camels whole is a dangerous tendency among those who are spiritually keen. The Pharisees were white-hot on rules for eating, but equally fervent about whipping up a conspiracy to condemn an innocent man to death. Faith should bring focus to our lives, offering a faithful reflection in a mirror-mirror-on-the-wall, who’s-the-fairest-of-them-all culture. But sometimes a bit of religious devotion can blind us to the reality of us. We ignore what is obviously wrong in our lives, justifying ourselves by what is ‘right’ in our lives. Able to spot the faults of others from a great distance, we’re keen to help them remove the tiniest specks from their eyes, while ignoring the great logs that protrude from our own.

    I recently chatted with a man whose work ethic is shocking. (If there was a Guinness World Record for low productivity and taking time off, he’d win by a country mile.)

    He spent most of our conversation complaining about his boss who, he says, is lazy and unproductive. There’s that log again.

    So, asking God to show us what we don’t currently see about ourselves is surely a healthy prayer to pray. And this is vital. Some people don’t become followers of Jesus because they don’t know any Christians. And some people don’t turn to Christ precisely because the do know some of His crowd.

    Their meal over the t-shirted snackers moved on, eager for the next epiphany. I hope they didn’t leave their paper bags and soiled cups behind for the server to clear away. But who knows? Perhaps they did. After all, they were in a restaurant.

    This is an extract from Staying in the Boat by Jeff Lucas published by CWR available here.

    Main Photo Credit: Jason Abdilla via Unsplash

  • Review: Tender Warrior

    Review: Tender Warrior

    I read this book when it first appeared in 1995. Just the title fascinated me. Tender . . . Warrior? Surely a contradiction in terms? Adding great credibility to all that he says, there’s some author background in the opening chapter, revealing his service in Vietnam as Group Intelligence Operations Officer. These are not the theoretical idealistic notions of someone removed from real life. Here’s a writer who knows a thing or two about battle, the close proximity of the enemy, brotherhood and sacrifice.

    Weber explores issues of confusion associated with masculinity. Am I supposed to be tough or tender? Strong or sensitive? Fierce or friendly? He calls men to respond to the wake up calls which show up in our lives through the situations we face or the people we love most, and get our lives back on track.

    Weber references Flint McCullugh, the scout on the TV series Wagon Train, whose eyes are always scanning the horizon, ever vigilant towards the dangers and hazards which may lie ahead. The author explores the re-tracing of steps, inviting the reader to look behind themselves as it were, to return to the headwaters of existence, to find our true calling. Weber identifies four non-linear life rhythms: King, Warrior, Mentor, and Friend. He defines these as four unshakable pillars. He acknowledges them as fundamental in both sacred and secular writings, and in all cultures.

    King: The heart of the King is a provisionary heart. The King looks ahead, watches over, and provides order, mercy, justice and leadership.

    Warrior: The heart of the Warrior is a protective heart. The Warrior shields, defends, stands between, and guards.

    Mentor: The heart of the Mentor is a teaching heart. The Mentor knows things. He wants others to know them too. He models, explains and trains.

    Friend: The heart of the Friend is a loving heart. It is a care-giving heart. Passionate, yes. But more. Compassionate. A friend is a commitment-maker and a promise-keeper. He is the energy that connects people.

    Weber suggests that these four pillars bear the weight of authentic masculinity. They co-exist. They overlap. And when they come together you will know it. You will feel it. You will be touched by it.

    I thoroughly enjoyed re-reading this book and as is my wont these days, I underlined many passages, signifying important statements or a connection with my own heart. I loved the chapters on friendship. Talking of Old Testament characters David and Jonathan he says: “Here were two men whose minds believed the same truth, whose wills locked on to the same course, whose emotions burned at the same injustices. They were committed to the same God. They loved the same kingdom. They marched to the same tune. They were headed in the same direction.” And: “A shared dream bonds men together. It’s the very essence of meaningful male friendship.”

    It’s a very balanced book and well worth a read.

    Now updated and expanded, Stu Weber ’s 20-year bestseller has become the contemporary classic.  It paints a dramatic and compelling picture of balanced masculinity according to God’s vision. Find out more here

    Publisher: Random House ISBN Print: 978-1590526132

    Main Photo Credit: Nik Shuliahin via Unsplash

  • News: Supporting young cancer patients

    News: Supporting young cancer patients

    NHS Property Services (NHSPS) is continuing to support Young Lives vs Cancer as its charity partner.

    In 2021, NHSPS colleagues voted for Young Lives vs Cancer to be their three-year charity partner. They have since taken on challenges, including climbing Mount Snowdon, completing Tough Mudders, and conquering the Three Peaks challenge.

    Funds raised through the partnership with NHSPS go towards Young Lives vs Cancer’s Homes from Home service, providing a free place for families to stay when their child is undergoing cancer treatment.

    The charity has ten Homes from Home close to specialist treatment centres in eight cities nationwide. These help families avoid the additional financial burdens of travel, food, and accommodation. They also enable young cancer patients to be close to their loved ones at an incredibly challenging time.

    Rhea Horlock, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at NHSPS, said: “I had the opportunity to visit Billy’s House, a Young Lives vs Cancer’s Home from Home in Nottingham recently. NHSPS has been in partnership with the charity for over two years now, and in that time, our colleagues have raised an incredible £120,000 to help fund these sites.

    “It was great to see what a warm and welcoming environment the Homes are, and you can really feel how this bit of normality would make such a difference at a very difficult time.”

    Dr Shamir Ghumra, Director of Responsible Business at NHSPS, joined Rhea on her visit. He commented: “The work Young Lives vs Cancer does to support children and young people with cancer and their families is invaluable, and their values and strategy align very well with ours.

    “The partnership has been better than we ever thought it could be, and I am very proud of the efforts of our colleagues across the business.”

    He added: “Cancer treatment for young people can last for months or even years, and families face extra monthly costs for travelling and food. Young Lives vs Cancer’s Homes from Home provide clean, safe, and homely accommodation for families when they most need it, completely free.”

    During September, Shamir and the rest of NHSPS’ Executive Team will be taking on their own challenge to raise more funds for this amazing charity to ensure these homes can keep operating.

    To find out what the challenge is and to donate if you can, please take a look at their fundraising page: NHS Property Services NHSPS is fundraising for Young Lives vs. Cancer (justgiving.com).

    Main Photo Credit: Sandy Millar via Unsplash

  • Faith: Five lessons from Mother Teresa

    Faith: Five lessons from Mother Teresa

    Our Guest Writer Jim Towey was a high-flying US Congressional staffer and lawyer in the 1980s until a brief meeting with Mother Teresa illuminated the emptiness of his life. Soon, he had given up his job and possessions and had become a full-time volunteer for Mother Teresa. Here he shares five of the most important lessons he learned during his time with her:

    One: Never Quit
    Mother Teresa taught me to never quit. She never quit. She persevered throughout all the adversities that she knew in her life.

    Her life was no bed of roses. She showed grit and determination through the darkness that she experienced spiritually. She knew to continue to pray and to persevere even in the darkness. Thank God she did because she’s now left us a lesson. She had for decades this sense of darkness and abandonment. I think God allowed her this so that she could experience what the poor felt who were abandoned, neglected and alone.

    Two: Embrace the Power of Prayer
    She was a respecter of all faiths but she was in love with her own. She said that if you’re too busy to pray, you’re too busy.

    For her, it all began with prayer. As she connected with God in that relationship, she was able to connect with God in the relationships she had around her. The gospel passage in Matt 25 says that whenever you did it to the least of my brethren, you did it to me. That connection between her prayer life and that you did it to me – serving the hungry, the poor, the sick and the naked. Mother Teresa had that connection between the two and it really fed her life. She knew that without prayer what she did was just simply social work.

    Three: Age with Dignity
    She delighted in old age. I knew her the last 12 years of her life. I met her the week she turned 75 and I saw her on and off during those 12 years she aged beautifully and with dignity.

    She loved chocolate. She loved her favourite foods. She loved to be with her sisters, rejoiced in friendship. She dealt with her illnesses too. She didn’t gloss over the difficulties of ageing. Ageing can be very difficult. She knew grief and loss as people that she loved died. She also knew physical pain and spiritual pain but through it all, she maintained her God-given dignity. She knew that she had come from God and she was going home to God and that was the secret to how she aged with dignity.

    Four: Find Joy in Serving Others
    She said that a life not lived for others was not worth living. She lived for others and derived great joy from her relationships.

    She found joy in giving until it hurts, loving until it hurts. Those were her expressions and described how she gave and lived. It’s a lesson that we all need now in a world that’s so estranged from one another. We find ourselves distant from one another. She went out and, in feeding the hungry and giving drink to those who thirsted, she was finding joy in her own vocation, her own life as a mother.

    Five: We Need Each Other
    She knew that we were made to love and to be loved. That this was the primary need of human beings and she lived that out, loving others and allowing them to love her particularly as she aged and became more dependent on the sisters who cared for her.

    One of the great joys of life was to be in friendship, in relationship. The book, To Love and Be Loved, talks about the great friendships she had, not only in India but in her travels with Princess Diana, with President Reagan and others that came into her life.

    Main Photo Credit: Courtesy of Jim Towey

  • Bank of Dave: Standing between the powerful and the powerless

    Bank of Dave: Standing between the powerful and the powerless

    The tiny Gardeners’ Cottage boasted a very comfortable king size bed, a massive walk in shower and generous home made scones with lashings of jam and cream. However, the TV in the corner of the lounge, was about the size of a postage stamp. This crushing disappointment was nicely off set by the discovery that access to Netflix was included in the cost of the accommodation. Twenty minutes of head scratching and a fairly intense scrolling session followed.

    Given an unlimited choice, selecting a film can be a lengthy random exercise. Have we heard of it? Have we heard of anybody in it? How many stars does it have? How many people have rated it? What rating did it get? And an important but heavily biased question, is it British? And of course the ruthless fifteen minute rule applies. With very few exceptions, if we don’t get drawn into the plot line within the first fifteen minutes the selection process reluctantly restarts.

    When I watch a film I want to like the characters. I want to care about the characters and what happens to them. If possible, I want to relate to the characters. I want them to be real and convincing. These requirements can sometimes limit my ability to sit all the way through to the end of a film. After all, why would I spend my Friday evening with folks I don’t even like? These lengthy deliberations finally resulted in a unanimous decision to settle down with the heart warming British comedy Bank of Dave.

    Bank of Dave is based on the true story of Dave Fishwick, a businessman who takes on London’s elite bankers. Full disclosure: Bank of Dave is set in the northern town of Burnley. I’m familiar with this part of the world and visit there frequently as some of my nearest and dearest live there. With my northern bias fully ramped up, and my interest piqued, I was raring to go and open to liking the characters in Bank of Dave from the very beginning. In fact, I liked nearly all the characters, plus extra bonus points, I cared about what happened to them too.

    Hugh Bonneville pulled off the role of the deliciously detestable villain, Sir Charles, in perhaps his poshest part ever.

    It took me about three seconds to get used to seeing Rory Kinnear playing the northerner Dave Fishwick, but I was soon rooting for him all the way. Was I rooting for him because I too am a northerner? Maybe a little bit, but mostly I was rooting for his character because he’s the archetypal good guy in the archetypal battle between good and evil. He’s a modern day Robin Hood, a David taking shots at Goliath. He’s a working class bloke taking on the London establishment, and northerners are always up for watching that kind of sport especially if there’s the faintest chance we might actually win.

    It was fun trying to spot familiar places in Burnley, even though I understand that much of the filming actually took place in Leeds and Bradford. Hey ho. The friendliness and warmth of the north was portrayed to my complete satisfaction. I was also drawn into another satisfying sub-plot. Two of the supporting characters engage in a gentle will-they-won’t-they romance story. This is a welcome non-banking related distraction which trundles along at a pleasing pace throughout the movie.

    Bank of Dave is an easy watch. It highlights that much lamented north south divide, the need for outlaws who will stand between the powerful and the powerless, while reminding us that greed is bad and kindness and generosity are good. You can’t really argue with that can you?

    Bank of Dave is available on Netflix and DVD.

    All Photo Credits: Courtesy of hughbonneville.uk

  • Comment: The anniversary of our late Queen’s death

    Comment: The anniversary of our late Queen’s death

    On the first anniversary of the death of Her Late Majesty the Queen, Rt Rev Philip North, Bishop of Blackburn, has released the following statement:

    On Friday, September 8th, we mark one year since Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second passed away.

    In the days following her death, we collectively mourned a woman who had been the ‘rock’ at the heart of national life for seven decades. Most of us had never known another monarch.

    The nation was in shock. We grieved the loss of someone who was a powerful sign of unity and stability; our continuity in the good times and the bad.

    Her Late Majesty was also a woman of profound Christian faith. She died knowing the hope of new life that Jesus offers to us all.

    That faith and hope in the resurrection was also witnessed by countless millions across the globe ten days later as, collectively, we experienced the unique moment in history that was Her Late Majesty’s State Funeral.

    Between her death and the funeral, we also witnessed a nation coming together to mourn, to remember and reflect on what we had lost; while at the same time there was continuity again; as His Majesty King Charles III assumed the solemn mantle of responsibility as our new Monarch.

    In the midst of our grief, as we prayed for the whole Royal Family and for our nation, we still had hope for the future in the shape of our new King.

    And it is in prayer we can also be reassured of the comfort and hope of new life that Jesus gives us all.

    As we look back on that remarkable ten days in 2020 following the death of Her Late Majesty, we can also give thanks for a life well-lived.

    A life given in service to you, to me and to the whole nation; to all who lived during her record-breaking reign of more than 70 years.

    In my remarks immediately following the death of Her Late Majesty in 2022 I said Our Queen had ‘made of her life a gift to the world. How can we do the same?’ That sentiment is true still today.

    Sustained by her deep Christian faith Her Late Majesty didn’t falter. She was constantly giving herself to service.

    As we give thanks for the life of Her Late Majesty on this first anniversary, let’s allow the memory of her service to sustain and inspire us now to ask afresh each day: ‘what can I do to make a difference and to serve’?

    Main Photo Credit: Maxim Hopman via Unsplash

  • Motoring: What are the UK’s top campervan holiday spots?

    Motoring: What are the UK’s top campervan holiday spots?

    Even after lockdown, the staycation hype shows no signs of declining, with nearly three quarters of adults saying that they’d rather opt to stay in the UK for a holiday. 

    And so, with summer holiday season in full swing, the team at Select Van Leasing have ranked the UK’s top-rated campervan holiday spots to pay a visit to.

    Emerging as the best-rated campsite for campervans is Glengoulandie Camping and Caravanning in the Cairngorms National Park, with a score of ten out of tenfor its five-star rating.

    Situated in the picturesque Highland Perthshire, the family-run site is only eight miles from the bustling towns of Aberfeldy and Pitlochry. The spot is also perfect for outdoor enthusiasts, with plenty of cycle routes and water sport locations close by, alongside multiple walking trails that take in Scotland’s natural beauty and stunning deer park nearby.

    Joining Glengoulandie Camping and Caravanning in joint first, is the Welsh campsite Hendre Mynach Camping and Touring Park in The National Park of Eryri, Snowdonia, scoringten out of ten for its rating of five stars.

    Landing in second place is the Cosmos Camping in the Brecon Beacons National Park, which scored an impressive 7.7/10 and a 4.98-star rating.

    Accompanying Cosmos Camping in second place is Westdown Farm Wild Camping and Caravanning Centre in the Dartmoor National Park, rated 4.98 stars with a score of 7.7/10.

    See how other holiday spots ranked below:

     

    For the full report please click here

    Main Photo Credit: The Cairngorms by Eilis Garvery via Unsplash

  • Kia Soul EV: “ … one of the best small family electric cars on the market today.”

    Kia Soul EV: “ … one of the best small family electric cars on the market today.”

    Think of a van merged with a family hatchback, possibly with a dollop of a crossover SUV on top, and that’s the Kia Soul EV.

    It is a small family car built for practicality, with a high roof all the way to the rear which promises more spaciousness than you’d typically find in its class.

    But if the van-like traits sound off-putting, they shouldn’t be, as it’s a lovely motor with plenty of round edges and a sporty front.

    The latest Soul is offered in just two trims: Urban and Explore, with the former offering a shorter range and less clout and the latter offering the opposite with some SUV-style cladding, plus roof rails.

    The Urban model features 17-inch alloys, an eight-inch infotainment touchscreen with digital radio, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and a seven-inch digital instrument cluster. It also has cloth upholstery, dual full-LED headlamps, a smart entry system and plenty of safety features, which I’ll come on to later.

    Changes in the Explore edition include a larger 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen with navigation, black leather upholstery and heated front seats.

    The most significant difference between the two is battery size, with the Urban model getting a 39.2kWh battery capable of travelling a claimed 171 miles. In contrast, the Explore variant gets 64.8kWh, managing 280 miles before it runs out of sparkly juice.

    I spent a long while in the Urban version, which has 136PS and gets from 0-62mph in 9.9 seconds. The Explore brags 204PS and will do the nought to 62mph dash two seconds quicker. But the test car still feels pacey, moving away the instant you touch the accelerator.

    Of course, it isn’t lightning quick but, for a vehicle intended to be driven to the shops and around town centres, it’s perfectly acceptable.

    The Soul EV’s suspension setup provides for fairly sharp handling, too, gripping well on corner entry and limiting the body lean as much as possible.

    The steering could be weightier when tackling bends at speed, but it can provide some entertainment for those who like to enjoy themselves behind the wheel.

    As a result of the Soul EV’s agility, some ride comfort is sacrificed, although not to an excessive degree. But it can feel firm and a tad bouncy over poorer road surfaces.

    The Explore Soul is 140kg heavier, so it doesn’t feel quite as alert to respond to steering inputs, but you won’t notice the difference enough to care.

    One-pedal driving is possible due to the Soul’s regenerative braking system. This tech puts the charge back into the batteries under deceleration and can bring the Kia to a halt when you lift your foot off the accelerator pedal.

    Inside, the cabin is well designed with heaps of piano black surfaces and the odd dash of silver trim, with the infotainment screen embedded into the centre of the dashboard beneath a couple of air vents. It is a well-designed, intuitive system with a clear screen and is responsive to your touches. But you must put up with a smaller display in the Urban-trimmed car, whereas the Explore gets a larger screen with navigation.

    Of course, you can still pair your smartphone to the infotainment system and use something like Google Maps instead. So those with the Urban grade won’t necessarily miss out on the lack of an in-built sat nav.

    The digital instrument cluster is equally clear and informative, although unlike in some cars, its layout can’t be customised.

    The seats are comfy, and there is sufficient travel in the front seat adjustment, manually controlled by levers in the Urban. However, the Explore variant gets electric adjustment on the driver’s side, plus adaptable lumbar support.

    Visibility is also notable out of the front due to Kia’s design of the front pillars, which are as thin as possible. And, although it’s less impressive out of the back, the Soul EV comes with rear parking sensors and a reversing camera as standard.

    You will find lots of places to store bottles and belongings in the cabin. But the boot is smaller than the car’s shape suggests, measuring 315 litres, expanding to 1,339 litres with the rear seats folded away in a 60/40 split.

    The Kia Soul EV boasts meagre running costs. There is no fossil fuel to put in it, and, despite increasing electricity costs, it’s still cheaper to charge it up than it would be to fill it up.

    Charging the Urban edition takes six hours for a 10 to 100% top-up if you use a 7.2kW home wall box, but this increases to just over nine hours in the Explore variant due to its larger battery.

    Road tax is free for the next couple of years until the Government begins charging for electric cars to use the roads. Meanwhile, servicing costs are generally lower in electric vehicles.

    Kia’s cars also come with an industry-leading seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty, with unlimited mileage for the first three years.

    Regarding safety, the Soul EV hasn’t been put through its paces by crash-testing experts Euro NCAP since 2014. Therefore, the four-star rating it earned bares little relevance today, given that the testing criteria and safety systems have evolved considerably since then.

    However, Kia has a remarkable track record for safety. All Soul EVs get automatic emergency braking, a driver attention warning, tyre pressure monitoring, lane follow assist, lane keep assist and adaptive smart cruise control as standard.

    The Explore model also gets blind spot monitoring, highway driving assist, safety exit warning and rear cross-traffic alert.

    Although the Explore offers more extended range, additional power and a few extra luxuries, the Urban feels powerful enough to compete and is still generously equipped.

    If practicality is the order of the day, then its smaller-than-expected boot might be a stumbling block, but at least it has a spacious cabin considering it’s a small car.

    The latest Soul EV is good to drive, and although it’s not the best in class for ride comfort, it treads the delicate line between handling and suspension absorption well. It also offers some entertaining characteristics for those who want to enjoy themselves.

    With low running costs, the Soul EV is undoubtedly one of the best small family electric cars on the market today.

    Fast Facts – Kia Soul EV [Urban trim, as tested]:

    • Max speed: 97mph
    • 0-62 mph: 9.9-secs
    • Range: 171 miles (39.2kWh battery)
    • Powertrain layout: Single electric motor, front-wheel drive
    • Max. power (PS): 136
    • CO2: 0g/km
    • Price: £32,845

    Photo credits: All photos courtesy of Kia Soul EV