The story of J Arthur Rank, a prominent figure in farming in the 1960's whose legacy - the Arthur Rank Centre - changed the face of the industry, is to be televised on the BBC's 'Songs of Praise' on Sunday 21 November. 

Lord Rank (1888 - 1972) was a keen farmer, landowner and member of the Rank milling dynasty. But he was best known as one of the most significant forces in British cinema and a committed Methodist. He began making films in the 1930s and acquired the Odeon Cinemas in 1941. 

The ARC was the fulfilment of one of his final wishes: to establish a strong Christian presence at the heart of farming and rural life. It was built at the National Agricultural Centre, Stoneleigh Park, in 1972. 

Rev'd Dr Gordon Gatward, the ARC's Director, paid tribute to Lord Rank's vision: 'Without Lord Rank our farming industry and community would be very different indeed. He saw the ARC filling the same role in the NAC and the farming industry that an active parish church does in many villages: to be totally involved and immersed in all aspects of the community's life, both spiritual and secular. For nearly 40 years now the ARC has been an ideas factory for the rural community; a good number of these ideas now have a life of their own as separate charities and have transformed the lives of countless rural people, including Farm Crisis Network, the ARC-Addington Fund, Arthur Rank Training, the Rural Housing Trust and Farm Stay UK.

'Although he had many other business interests J Arthur Rank never lost his love of the corn trade and throughout his life he retained a pride in his skills as a miller.  His involvement in and generous support for agriculture was recognised in the early 1960's when he became President of the Royal Agricultural Society of England. He paid for the new ARC to be built in 1972 but did not live long enough to see his legacy to farming completed.

Robin Cowen, the late Lord Rank's son-in-law and Patron of the ARC, will talk on the programme about the history of the ARC and Lord Rank's other contributions to farming. Besides paying for the original ARC building, the Rank family was also responsible for the building of the hostel accommodation at Stoneleigh used by stockmen during events at the showground.The BBC will be filming interviews and footage at the ARC with 'Songs of Praise' presenter Pam Rhodes on 28th October and will transmit the programme on BBC One on Sunday 21 November.