Desert Island Discs

Mina Smallman, activist


Listen Later

Wilhelmina – Mina – Smallman is an activist who campaigns for the safety of women and girls and police reform. She is a former teacher and priest who was the first woman of colour to be an archdeacon in the Church of England.

In 2020 her daughters Bibaa and Nicole were murdered as they celebrated Bibaa’s 46th birthday in Fryent Country Park. It later came to light that two policemen, who were guarding the crime scene, had posed for and posted selfies with Bibaa and Nicole’s bodies in the background. They were later jailed for misconduct.

When friends first reported her daughters missing the police didn’t launch an official search for them and it was their loved ones who eventually found Bibaa and Nicole. Mina’s anger at the failings of the Metropolitan Police, led her to start her fight for justice. In 2021 an Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) report, highlighted the Met’s failings and advised the force to apologise to Mina and her family.

Mina was brought up in London. She was a drama teacher for over 20 years before training for the priesthood. She was ordained in 2006 and took up her first job as vicar at Christ Church on the Thames View estate in Barking. In 2013 she was appointed the first woman archdeacon of Southend in the Diocese of Chelmsford. She retired as an archdeacon in 2016.

DISC ONE: Silly Games – Janet Kay

DISC TWO: Handel: Messiah, HWV 56 / Pt. 3 - 43. Air: I know that my Redeemer liveth
Performed by Dame Joan Sutherland (Soprano), London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir Adrian Boult
DISC THREE: Easy Terms - Barbara Dickson
DISC FOUR: Amazing Grace - The Pipes And Drums Of The Military Band Of The Royal Scots Dragoon
DISC FIVE: We Are The World - USA for Africa
DISC SIX: Miss Independent - Ne-Yo
DISC SEVEN: Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick - Ian Dury and the Blockheads
DISC EIGHT: I Look To You - Whitney Houston
BOOK CHOICE: Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
LUXURY ITEM: Hair moisturiser
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: I Look To You - Whitney Houston

Presenter Lauren Laverne

Producer Paula McGinley

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Desert Island DiscsBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

1,407 ratings


More shows like Desert Island Discs

View all
In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,395 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,837 Listeners

F1: Chequered Flag by BBC Radio 5 Live

F1: Chequered Flag

732 Listeners

Woman's Hour by BBC Radio 4

Woman's Hour

409 Listeners

Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,900 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,814 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,118 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

2,065 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,051 Listeners

Desert Island Discs: Archive 1996-2000 by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs: Archive 1996-2000

51 Listeners

Desert Island Discs: Archive 2000-2005 by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs: Archive 2000-2005

61 Listeners

Desert Island Discs: Archive 2005-2010 by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs: Archive 2005-2010

152 Listeners

Desert Island Discs: Archive 1991-1996 by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs: Archive 1991-1996

71 Listeners

Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware by Jessie Ware

Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware

1,638 Listeners

Desert Island Discs: Archive 2011-2015 by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs: Archive 2011-2015

49 Listeners

How To Fail With Elizabeth Day by Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment

How To Fail With Elizabeth Day

1,375 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

723 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

2,961 Listeners

The Rest Is Politics by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Politics

3,101 Listeners

Dish by Cold Glass Productions

Dish

566 Listeners

Desert Island Discs: Desert Island Discs Archive: 2016-2018 by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs: Desert Island Discs Archive: 2016-2018

23 Listeners

Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth by Gyles Brandreth / Plain Jaine Productions / Keep It Light Media

Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth

248 Listeners

Young Again by BBC Radio 4

Young Again

125 Listeners

The Rest Is Entertainment by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Entertainment

835 Listeners

The Louis Theroux Podcast by Spotify Studios

The Louis Theroux Podcast

563 Listeners