Woman's Hour

The US Presidential election results with Dr. Jeanne Morefield, Senior Lecturer in political theory at the University of Birmingham, and Fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, Washington, DC.

A current storyline in Emmerdale is about a couple who decide to have a termination when their baby’s diagnosed with Down Syndrome. It’s a difficult decision for anyone, but some campaigners say expectant parents are routinely given outdated advice and encouraged to have a termination. Nicola Enoch who set up the support website Positive About Downs talks about her experiences and we hear from Jane Fisher who is the Director of ARC - Antenatal Results and Choices.

Stella Dadzie is a teacher, writer, artist and education activist. In her new book, A Kick in the Belly: Women, Slavery & Resistance, she reveals the largely untold stories of women of African descent who, caught up in the horrors of over 400 years of slavery, were transported across the Atlantic to the sugar plantations of Jamaica and beyond. Women, who Stella reveals, were central to slave rebellions and played a vital role in developing a culture of slave resistance and liberation across the Caribbean.

Betty Seabrook is the UK winner in the most recent Ideas4Ears competition for children, organised by hearing implant makers MED-EL. Her ingenious invention is a special custom helmet that Cochlear Implant users can wear with their audio processor while riding a bike. Betty got the inspiration from her family bike rides and her father Tom who couldn’t wear a helmet without taking his processor off - which could be more dangerous. Betty and Tom join Jane..

Presenter: Jane Garvey

Liz Brookes looks after her husband Mike, who has had vascular dementia and Chris Black cares for his wife, Helen, who has Picks disease, or Frontotemporal dementia. How have they coped during the pandemic? We also hear from Emily Holzhausen, Director of Policy and Public Affairs from Carers UK.

Has the Covid crisis helped to usher in a future of flexible working? A new report from the campaign Flex Appeal says while that forced remote working during a pandemic is not the same as flexible working, there are lessons that can be learned from lockdown. Anna Whitehouse aka Mother Pukka who co-founded Flex Appeal, and Louise Deverell-Smith who runs Daisy Chain, an online platform that matches flexible employers with flexible job-seekers discuss.

As part of our new series on life and shoes, we speak to Carmen about her espadrilles her mother danced in decades ago.

Josh suffered his first major depressive episode just before he was due to take his A levels. At university his mental health deteriorated further. Josh and his mum Mandy have written a book 'The Boy Between'. They tell us about their experiences – in Josh’s case, learning to live with depression, and in Mandy’s case how best to support and help someone you love who suffers with depression.

Cat Hyde is one of the founders of Seagulls, a project which takes leftover paint and repurposes it into new paint. They take volunteers such as Ash, a young woman who now works at their paint shop, who says that working at Seagulls was vital in her regaining her confidence.

Presenter: Jane Garvey

In April we spoke to Liz Brookes who looks after her husband Mike, who has had vascular dementia and to Chris Black who cares for his wife, Helen, who has Picks disease, or Frontal Temperal dementia. How they are getting on six months later? Emily Holzhausen, Director of Policy and Public Affairs from Carers UK joins them.

For blind or partially sighted women it is impossible to read visual results of a standard pregnancy test. The Royal National Institute for the Blind has designed a prototype for a tactile test which means the user can maintain their independence and privacy. Jane Garvey talks to the Chair of the RNIB Ellie Southwood.

Leila and Sahand were both married to other people when they fell in love and had a child together. Adultery is a crime in Iran, fearing for their lives they fled their homeland for a safe life elsewhere. We speak to Leila and to the director Eva Mulvad who has made a documentary film ‘Love Child’ about their life over the last seven years.

Women still make up only 24% of those working in core science, technology, engineering and mathematics occupations in the UK, and recent data has revealed that women make up just 13% of students studying computer science in the UK. There is a similar lack of women studying mathematics courses. The Suffrage Science awards scheme hopes to change this. Jane is joined by science communicator Dr. Kat Arney and Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon.

Presenter: Jane Garvey

We’ve just started a second lockdown in England – with other parts of the United Kingdom also going through variations of the same. But what if you’re pregnant? What’s going through your mind and what are you concerned about? As the pandemic’s gone on, we’ve heard about women being on their own for scans, deliveries and sadly, miscarriages too. And an enquiry has just started into a rise in stillbirths over the last Lockdown. Chloe discusses the issues with Bertie Harlev-Lam, Executive Director for Professional Leadership at the RCM ,also a working midwife, and Jo Mountfield, Vice President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in Southampton, and a consultant obstetrician at University Southampton Hospital.

Has the Covid crisis helped to usher in a future of flexible working? A new report from the campaign Flex Appeal says while that forced remote working during a pandemic is not the same as flexible working, there are lessons that can be learned from lockdown. They have surveyed more than a thousand employers about how their work has changed since March, and which aspects their employees are keen to keep longer-term. Chloe is joined by Anna Whitehouse aka Mother Pukka who co-founded Flex Appeal, and Louise Deverell-Smith who runs Daisy Chain, an online platform that matches flexible employers with flexible job-seekers.

How did the humble biscuit become so embedded in our culture? Lizzie Collingham’s book The Biscuit: The History of a Very British Indulgence explains how it began as the foodstuff of explorers, then, sweetened, found its way into the recipe books of ladies of the manor and finally becoming our customary snack with a cup of tea. Chloe talks to Lizzie about the stories of women involved in biscuit production through the ages and asks her the all-important question: to dunk or not to dunk?

What is a forest school and what are the benefits and challenges of outdoor learning? Can it re-engage children after the broken learning of the pandemic? Chloe discusses the issues with Sara Collins, Deputy Chair of the Forest School Association and founder of the Nature Premium campaign, which is calling for ring-fenced funding for schools to provide nature-based learning. She’s joined by Dr Rowena Passy, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Plymouth’s Institute for Education.

Presented by Chloe Tilley

Maggie O’Farrell’s first picture book for children is the story of a brave little girl who is visited by her snow angel in her time of need. The idea for the book grew out of a story Maggie told her own sick child in the back of an ambulance. Why are reassuring tales so crucial for children and adults in difficult times?

This US election has been described as one of the most divisive US presidential elections in decades, pitting incumbent Republican Donald Trump against his Democratic challenger Joe Biden. We reflect on the results with USA Today columnist and CNN political & legal pundit, Sophia Nelson and Bronwen Maddox, Director of Institute for Government, previously foreign and US editor for the Times. How did North American women vote this time and with more women than ever standing for election, who are the winners and losers?

How do you build your confidence when you’re at rock bottom? Whether you’ve had an illness, your partner has left you or you’re returning to work after having a baby, your sense of identity can suffer. Chloe Tilley is joined by confidence coach Jo Emerson and Frances Monaghan of Wise Women to explain how you can overcome low self-esteem.

Presenter Chloe Tilley

America goes to the polls today. It's predicted the women's vote will be key, particularly the suburban woman who came out for Trump in 2016 but 4 years on has changed her mind. We review the polls ahead of what is expected to be the biggest turn out in years.

Johnny Depp has lost his libel case against the Sun newspaper over an article that called him a "wife beater". We talk to a Women's Rights organisation and look at the career implications for the 57 year old film star and his 34 year old ex wife Amber Heard.

One group of self employed people we’ve not heard much about during the pandemic is sex workers. The coronavirus has spelt economic disaster for an industry which requires social contact and many are turning to online platforms like OnlyFans which allows them to sell photos and videos with a monthly subscription. Jane will be talking to Laura Watson from the Collective of English Prostitutes and the feminist writer Julie Bindel.

And in our new series on life and shoes, we speak to Carmen about her espadrilles her mother danced in decades ago and her own tango shoes

Presenter: Jane Garvey

We may not be doing much holiday cruising in the pandemic but Jane McDonald known as ‘Queen of Cruise’ has a new album out ‘Cruising with Jane McDonald Vol 2’ featuring many well-known songs, all performed on her popular TV series of the same name. It’s been more than 20 years since she found fame as the stand out character from the BBC’s docusoap The Cruise - she joins Jane to talk performing, cruising, holidays and life out of the water.

A new study, led by the Universities of Nottingham and Oxford, provides a more detailed picture on which women are at increased risk of breast cancer when using different HRT treatments. Dr Yana Vinogradova from the University of Nottingham, a lead investigator on the study, joins Jane to discuss the results.

Shortly before Josiah was due to take A levels, he suffered his first major depressive episode. At the time neither he or his family had a clue what was happening. Nonetheless he scraped through his exams and in the autumn went to university as planned. At university his mental health deteriorated further, to the point that he planned his own death. Josh and his mum Mandy join Jane to talk about their experiences – in Josh’s case, learning to live with depression, and in Mandy’s how best to support and help someone you love who suffers with depression.

During lockdown people have rediscovered a love for DIY, but what happens to all the leftover paint that doesn’t make it on to the wall? Paint is a hazardous material and if not properly disposed of it can be really harmful to the environment. Cat Hyde is one of the founders of Seagulls, a project which takes leftover paint and repurposes it into new paint. They take volunteers such as Ash, a young woman who now works at their paint shop, who says that working at Seagulls was vital in her regaining her confidence.

Presented by Jane Garvey

Pottering can be described as keeping busy without a plan or purpose. We hear from a self-confessed potterer. She's life coach Sarah Longfield, and we also have Anna McGovern, who's written a book called Pottering: A Cure for Modern Life.

Statistics pulled together by NHS digital tell us that more people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities are being admitted to hospital because of eating disorders. We hear from a parent whose daughter was recently diagnosed with an eating disorder and from Professor Sandeep Ranote who's a psychiatrist and expert on eating disorders.

Concern over the state of our planet is at a record high but who holds the real power? We hear from Karen Shackleton the Founder of the Ilkley Clean River Campaign and Emma Howard Boyd, Chair of The Environment Agency.

How do we ditch our shame? Comedian Grace Campbell has written a book called Amazing Disgrace. It's about growing up feeling shameful about sex. It's also about mental health and being jealous. She joins the psychotherapist Gabrielle Rifkind to discuss how we can get rid of our shame.

We hear from Emma and Ashlee who left care just before they were 18 and how they adapted to adult life. Mark Riddell, the National Implementation Advisor for Care Leavers, discusses what initiatives are working.

And after going viral in a YouTube video, singer Charlotte Awbery tells about her journey from waitressing to being a guest on The Ellen Show.

Presenter: Jane Garvey

The Vendee Globe solo round the world sailing race is considered to be one of the toughest sporting competitions: 24,000 miles as the crow flies, no help, no stops and no turning back. This year out of 33 entries, six women are aiming to be on the start line on 8th November. We hear from three British women who are taking part.

How do we ditch our shame? Comedian Grace Campbell has written a book, 'Amazing Disgrace', about growing up feeling shameful about sex, rejection, mental health and jealous tendencies. Grace and psychotherapist Gabrielle Rifkind join Jane to discuss how we can negotiate with ourselves, and work on getting rid of our shame.

The femme fatale, the crazy cat lady, the girl next door – writer and performer Anneka Harry has come up with 50 tired tropes for women in her book, 'Lady Sidekick'. She’ll discuss how women have been pigeonholed for years into a handful of tired and basic characters, and how it’s now time for a change.

In peace processes between 1992 and 2018, women represented only 3% of mediators and 12% of negotiators despite UN research showing that when women meaningfully participate in peace talks the resulting agreement is less likely to fail. We speak to women peace negotiators about what the challenges and benefits of being female can bring to their work and what support is needed to enable more women to be involved in peace negotiations.

Presenter: Jane Garvey

Interviewed Guest: Pip Hare

Author Victoria Hislop discusses her new novel ‘One August Night’, the long-anticipated sequel to her award-winning work, ‘The Island’. Why has she waited so long to revisit the hugely popular Cretan world and characters she created?

It's the Women's FA Cup this weekend between Everton and Manchester City. Everton's Captain Danielle Turner and Jude Morris-King , volunteer Treasurer at the Man City Women Official Supporters Club talk to Paulette about what's it been like for the game under lock down and about the possible long-term impact of Covid-19 on the women’s game.

Plus a study at the University of Cambridge, as part of the CanTest collaborative, has revealed that a blood test already available to GPs in the UK is more predictive of ovarian cancer than previously thought. We hear from Cancer Research UK’s head of early diagnosis Dr Jodie Moffat and science teacher Fiona who was diagnosed three years ago.

And singer Charlotte Awbery tells us about her journey from waitressing to being a guest on the Ellen Show, and now creating her own music after an impromptu appearance in a YouTube video went viraL

Presenter Paulette Edwards