Woman's Hour

Food writer and cook Nigel Slater says that one of his great joys in life is going out to shop for ingredients, but how has that changed during lockdown? What is he yearning for that he can’t get, and how is it altering the way he thinks about food? His most recent book is Greenfeast.Hope High is a new BBC Sounds podcast, which takes listeners inside an area in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire that is fighting to protect children from being groomed by county lines drug gangs. The presenter and producer Annabel Deas spent a year finding out how young children are tricked into selling drugs, and why some are removed from their families, and placed in care for their own protection.Elaine Hall from Bath has been telephoning her 91-year-old aunt Olive, who’s blind, since the beginning of lockdown. But what started as a general daily catch up has blossomed into a joyous conversation including stories, literary discussions and games of Just a Minute. Elaine and Olive talk to Jenni for the Woman’s Hour Corona Diaries.The writer Holly Watt's new book, The Dead Line, follows investigative journalist Casey Benedict on the trail of a surrogacy racket - involving a Harley Street doctor, a British Ambassador, and a Bangladeshi camp. Holly, who is also an investigative journalist, joins Jenni to talk about the inspiration behind the story. The writer and broadcaster Sali Hughes has been talking to women about objects in their lives that are important to them. We hear from the comedy actress Margaret Cabourn-Smith about her snow globe.Presenter: Jenni Murray Producer: Dianne McGregor

Comic Relief and Children In Need are joining forces for the first time for a special night of comedy, music and live entertainment, to raise money for their projects on BBC 1 tonight. It'll celebrate the people who making a difference and supporting those affected during these extraordinary times. Zoe Ball tell us about The Big Night In. The British Medical Association, the professional organisation for doctors, highlights the fact personal protective equipment (PPE) tends to be designed for the “size and shape of male bodies”, despite the fact that 75 per cent of NHS workers are women. We hear from Dr. Helen Fidler Deputy Chair of the BMA UK Consultants Committee.There are nearly 2 million single parents across the UK, and many rely on Child Maintenance Payment . However the COVID-19 crisis means many people have lost their job or some of their income. So, the Department for Work and Pensions has said that parents who pay it will be allowed to stop or reduce payments without any investigation or appeal. What impact will that have on single parent households? Angela a single mum of two tells us about what the changes will mean for her. Plus we hear from Victoria Benson the CEO of Gingerbread a charity who offer for single parent families. Why does society blame the victims of sexual violence rather than the perpetrators? Dr Jessica Taylor explains her research into how victim blaming works And the complexities of friendship, intimacy and young love - we speak to Daisy Edgar Jones who plays Marianne, in the TV adaptation of Sally Rooney’s novel Normal People.Presenter Jenni Murray Producer Beverley PurcellGuest; Daisy Edgar Jones Guest; Zoe Ball. Guest; Dr Helen Fidler Guest; Victoria Benson Guest; Jessica Taylor

As of last week, all IVF treatment has been suspended in the UK. What impact is this having on women, and what could the longer-term consequences be? Tina Mulhern is 41 and can’t now start a second cycle of treatment after her first attempt failed in February. Anya Sizer is the London regional organiser of Fertility Network UK.Over the past few weeks, we’ve had lots of listeners getting in touch to tell us how gardening is helping them through lockdown. Fran Halsall is one of them - but she’s decided to use her skills outside of her own back yard. In today’s Woman’s Hour Corona Diaries, she tells Jenni what it’s like volunteering as a planter and picker on a local farm, and how she’s trying to galvanise others to have a go at growing by making a series of simple instructional videos. The lockdown seems like the perfect opportunity to give sewing and mending your own clothes a try. It’s also a time when sewists have been lending their hands to help the NHS frontline. Ros Studd is a textiles teacher who’s just launched the website Repair What You Wear; Dulcie Scott is a TV costume designer who’s worked on Downton Abbey and His Dark Materials and is now co-ordinating Helping Dress Medics, a project to sew much-needed hospital scrubs, and Esme Young is a fashion designer and judge on The Great British Sewing Bee, which returns for a new series tonight on BBC 1. The things we cherish aren’t always expensive. Instead, we treasure the stuff that reminds us of special people, particular times in our lives, or which stand for something important. The writer and broadcaster Sali Hughes talks to Elen Jones about a particularly special pair of glasses. The last century and a half has seen remarkable changes in women’s lives - perhaps not least that today three quarters of mothers are in paid employment. In the nineteenth century working mothers were in a minority and, the fact that they were working was widely regarded to be a social ill damaging to their families and wider society. While the working lives of the earliest women doctors or factory workers were very different both had to wrestle with cultural assumptions that they were somehow neglecting their domestic duties. Many women with children were driven to work by economic necessity but, it also appears that many of them came to enjoy a measure of financial independence and a life beyond the home. The historian Helen McCarthy discusses her new book ‘Double Lives: A History of Working Motherhood’ and how much attitudes to mothers in the work place have changed - and how far we still have to go.

Death tolls are being reported every day but it’s still hard for many of us to talk about death and dying. We start that conversation with listeners and palliative care experts. We’ll talk about the current situation, facing death in hospital, at home or in care homes, how to do advance care planning, how best to grieve, and how at any time we can prepare for our own and our loved ones’ death.Presenter: Jenni Murray Interviewed guest: Dr Rachel Clarke Interviewed guest: Sarah Tully Interviewed guest: Dr Frances Goodhart Interviewed guest: Dr Catherine Millington-Sanders Interviewed guest: Fi Munro Producer: Lucinda MontefioreI

Known as ‘The People’s Club’, Everton football club has reacted quickly to the coronavirus outbreak by adapting its current community outreach programme to offer support to people across Liverpool. Jenni speaks to Everton player Simone Magill about how she is training at home and their director of Youth Engagement, Employability and Sports Development, Sue Gregory, about how the club has adapted their community to support those affected by coronavirus.The Early Years Alliance has warned that thousands of nurseries are facing permanent closure after the government appeared to change its guidance on furloughing staff. Jenni discusses the issue with Shannon Pite, Public Affairs Director of the Early Years Alliance which represents 14,000 providers. Over the last few weeks we've been focusing on the heightened risk to those experiencing domestic abuse in the UK during lockdown. How much is this being replicated in Europe? Jenni speaks to Natalie Higgins, Senior Europe Producer for the BBC.In Stephanie Scott’s debut novel, a man hired to have an affair with a woman by her husband slips up when he falls deeply in love. Stephanie joins Jenni to discuss the true story behind the novel.How to rediscover your wardrobe during lockdown. Emma Slade Edmondson is a consultant specialising in fashion, lifestyle and retail. She gives advice on how to fall in love with what’s already in your wardrobe, with tips on styling of clothing we already own for spring. Presenter: Jenni Murray Producer: Louise Corley Editor Karen Dalziel Interviewed Guest: Simone Magill Interviewed Guest: Sue Gregory Interviewed Guest: Natalie Higgins Interviewed Guest: Stephanie Scott Interviewed Guest: Emma Slade Edmondson

Caring for a partner with dementia while isolating in lockdown - former nurse Liz Brookes whose husband has vascular dementia, and Chris Black whose wife has Pick's disease discuss. Bernadine Evaristo won the 2019 Booker Prize for 'Girl, Woman, Other'. Jenni talks to her about two of her novels 'The Emperor’s Babe' and 'Mr Loverman', both have just been re-published. Beauty tips for nails, eyebrows and waxing during lockdown with Sarah Jossel, Beauty Director of The Sunday Times Style magazine. Will Elizabeth Warren be Joe Biden’s running mate now he’s committed to a female US vice-president? Jane speaks to Dr Kelly Dittmar from the Centre for American Women and Politics. How are refuges coping with the impact of Covid-19? Tamara White is area manager of 10 refuges in London. The comedian Jayde Adams has been a fishmonger, a nightclub bouncer and an Adele impersonator. She talks about her shows, Serious Black Jumper, and Couch Cabaret. Bailey Tomkinson reached number 2 in the itunes Video Music Charts without a record label or management. She sings live in the studio. Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Dianne McGregor

Jane got into hot water this week about Arctic Roll. So, let’s see what she makes of Sourdough! One of our producers was given what’s called a “starter, and now thinks she has the basics of bread forever - because it's a live culture, which does however need care and attention. Could it be useful in times of lockdown? What’s the truth and how do we make it? Vanessa Kimbell is an expert.Will Elizabeth Warren be Joe Biden’s running mate now he’s committed to a female vice-president? Why are there a record number of Republican women candidates running in primary elections? What impact is Coronavirus having on women even being able to campaign? Jane talks to Dr. Kelly Dittmar from the Centre for American Women and Politics. MPs and campaigners are calling for urgent action to create stricter regulation around tube porn sites amidst a worldwide Covid-19 lockdown. Pornhub, one of the most popular online pornography websites, has seen traffic to its website boom as a result of forced isolation. What do parents need to be aware of when it comes to young people accessing online porn whilst being quarantined? Maria Miller MP is the chair of the Women and Equalities Committee. Girl On The Net is a sex blogger and author. Kate Isaacs is the founder of ‘Not Your Porn’ – a campaign urging stronger rules around sharing and uploading revenge porn. Plus material scientist Ainissa Ramirez talks about her book " The Alchemy of Us". She says as a black woman she often found that her “reflection in textbooks was hiding, missing, overshadowed.” Presenter Jane Garvey Producer: Kirsty Starkey Interviewed Guest: Maria Miller Interviewed Guest: Kate Isaacs Interviewed Guest: Girl on the Net Interviewed Guest: Ainissa Ramirez Interviewed Guest: Kelly Dittmar Interviewed Guest: Vanessa Kimbell

Victoria Atkins MP is Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Safeguarding). Her portfolio includes modern day slavery, domestic abuse and violence against women and girls, including FGM. What support can vulnerable women and children expect during lock-down, what has happened to the stalled Domestic Abuse Bill and what are her priorities under lockdown in her constituency?The Tokyo Paralympics 2020 have been postponed. Three female athletes tell us how the delay is affecting them. Lucy Shuker has won two Paralympic bronze medals in Wheelchair Tennis, 17 year old para powerlifting champion Olivia Broome is looking forward to her first games and Mary Wilson is a para badminton athlete and hoping qualifying events will go ahead so that she’ll make it to Tokyo.A man lies dying in his bed at home. Meanwhile, his lover of nearly three decades is sitting for a portrait being painted by his wife. Ilaria Bernardini explores women’s stories in her first novel in English, The Portrait.Since lockdown how are women managing with their beauty maintenance - from chipped shellac to bushy eyebrows and body hair? Sarah Jossel, beauty director for the Sunday Times Style magazine, discusses how we can keep up appearances.Since the coronavirus outbreak, Annie Henderson and her friends from Sheffield, have been in daily communication via the medium of haiku – a form of short Japanese poetry. In today’s Woman’s Hour Corona Diaries, she explains how it’s helping them to record their thoughts and feelings from this unprecedented time.Presenter - Jenni Murray Producer – Louise Corley Guest - Victoria Atkins MP Guest - Lucy Shuker Guest -Olivia Broome Guest - Mary Wilson Guest - Ilaria Bernardini Guest - Sarah Jossel Guest - Annie Henderson

Bernardine Evaristo’s novels The Emperor’s Babe and Mr Loverman will both be re-published this week. Bernardine won the Booker Prize for Girl, Woman, Other but how do those two earlier works set up themes she then went on to explore further? And as people turn to books for distraction and escape during lockdown, what titles does Bernardine recommend?Jo Todd from the organisation RESPECT talks to us about perpetrators of domestic violence and what her charity is doing to help them stop their behaviour.Two refugee camps in Greece have cases of coronavirus, so what's it like to live there at the moment. We speak to Parwana Amiri who is staying at the Ritsona Refugee Camp and Katy Fallon who's a journalist based in Athens. And play and playfulness: how can we help our children get the most out of their playtime, and how can us adults take a leaf out of their book? Dr. Mel McCree joins us. She's a Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Studies at Bath Spa University.Image credit: Jennie Scott

Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, has said that help is out there to victims of domestic violence. Two million pounds is now available to increase support. Some victims may be able to find a safe place at a refuge, but what’s it like at the moment for women staying at refuges and those running them? We hear from the area manager of 10 refuges in London.For our Corona Diaries, Jane speaks to Jemima from Lincoln. She's 29 weeks pregnant, working from home and caring for a toddler while her husband, who's with the RAF, is stuck in the Falklands.As we're in lock-down, we can't go out to see the comedian Jayde Adams, so she's asking us to join her for a couch cabaret night each week. In her time, Jayde's been a supermarket fishmonger, a nightclub bouncer and an Adele impersonator and her show, Serious Black Jumper, went viral on TikTok.