Multistory's new digital programme Stories in Isolation, commissions poetry and writing in response to the current COVID-19 situation, as a gesture of support for local Sandwell artists and our Blast! Creative Network.

Multistory's new digital programme Stories in Isolation, commissions poetry and writing in response to the current COVID-19 situation, as a gesture of support for local Sandwell artists and our Blast! Creative Network.

Multistory's new digital programme Stories in Isolation, commissions poetry and writing in response to the current COVID-19 situation, as a gesture of support for local Sandwell artists and our Blast! Creative Network.

A song written by Billy Spakemon for the anthology Tipton Tales.

A poem written by Roy McFarlane for the anthology Tipton Tales.

A poem written by Liz Berry for the anthology Tipton Tales.

A poem written by Emma Purshouse for the anthology Tipton Tales.

Whether large or small, round the corner or across the sea... family is part of us all.

They come in all shapes and sizes and all volumes... some are bonded by blood, some through friendship and community.

We sat down with a cuppa with some wonderful Sandwell families to get to know them and ask ‘What does family mean to you?’

In Summer 2018, Multistory and the artist Sarah Taylor Silverwood invited people from the six towns of Sandwell to nominate women who deserve to be honoured and celebrated. In the same year it was the centenary of (some) women being given the right to vote in the UK and the powerful movements taking place such as ‘Me too’ and ‘Time’s Up’, and this project, recognise and value the work that women do — equality is not a given but something we have to fight for.

We were lucky enough to spend time with many of the inspiring women who are part of the project - from the nominators, Kate DeRight, Shindo Barquer and Blanca Fischer - to the judges, Tina Cockbill, Cllr Syeda Khatun and Julie McKirdy... and of course, Sarah Taylor Silverwood and the winners, Barbara Platts, Bally Barquer and Leonie Hart.

Here's what they had to say...

Us Brits are pretty giddy about Greetings Cards. Sending them, receiving them, displaying them... we love a good card!

For this episode we natted with knitters and babbled with Brownies to find out just how important the Greetings card is to the people of Sandwell...