Woman's Hour

All week our drama has been about a woman bringing up her son who has cerebral palsy and learning disabilities. Today we hear from the real people behind the story: Alison White and Louis, who's an adult now. And afterwards we hear from Mencap about life during lockdown for adults with learning disabilities and their carers.

We continue our Corona Diaries. Today we have Kate Tudge who breeds pigs in Herefordshire.

We go to America to speak to Alix Kates Shulman, author of "Memoirs of an Ex-Prom Queen" who's making face masks.

"A midlife crisis" is often used to describe middle-aged men being indulgent or irresponsible. But before it became a cliché, the term was a feminist concept. In 1976, a journalist called Gail Sheehy used it to refer to both men and women who might be reassessing their life and their choices and looking for a change. Susanne Schmidt, a history lecturer at Freie University in Berlin has written a book about Sheehy and her ideas. It's called Midlife Crisis: The Feminist Origins of a Chauvinist Cliché.

How are young carers coping in the lockdown? We hear from 17 year old James who looks after his mum and grandma. And Dr Kate Blake-Holmes joins us too. She's a social worker at the University of East Anglia and is carrying out research into this area.

As we experience lockdown, how true is it that women comply with public health messages more obediently than men? Dr Michelle Harrison sets out the facts and figures when it comes to gender difference and public health messages.

There's another chance to hear Jane's interview with the American author, Elizabeth Strout. Loads of you suggested her Olive Kitteridge novels for the lockdown.

And who was Matilda McCrear? She was the last-known survivor of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. She was put on a boat to America in 1860 and she lived until 1940. She still has living relatives. The historian, Hannah Dunkin from the University of Newcastle, tells us about her.

The Commons Home Affairs Committee warned that without urgent steps to address the issue of domestic violence, families and communities would be dealing with the "devastating consequences" for a generation to come. Jane hears from Yvette Cooper, Chair of the committee.

From the bald-headed white uakari to the Tapanuli orangutan - Nikki Waldron, a producer and director of BBC1 series Primates talks about capturing rarely seen species on film. We also hear from the primatologist Dr Cat Hobaiter, who is studying the gestures of chimpanzees.

How do you care for your mental health when the normal support services are no longer available? Lindsay lives in Glasgow, and for today’s Woman’s Hour Corona Diaries she talks about the difficulties of helping her mum cope with bipolar from a distance – and how she’s been dealing with her own anxiety while adapting to home schooling two young children.

Glenda Young published her debut novel, a saga called Belle of the Back Streets set in her hometown of Ryhope, aged 54. She explains why all her books are set in the same year, the influence of Coronation Street on her writing and how she stopped hiding her writing at the back of her knicker drawer.

Some people are experiencing fitful nights in lockdown, with a number of social media users reporting unusually vivid dreams. What is the science behind dreaming? Dr. Megan Crawford from the Sleep Research Unit at Strathclyde University, and the psychotherapist Lucy Beresford discuss.

Presenter: Jane Garvey

We hear why the lockdown is the perfect time to give sewing and mending your clothes a try with Ros Studd a textiles teacher; Dulcie Scott a TV costume designer and Esme Young the fashion designer and judge on The Great British Sewing Bee

Dr Jessica Taylor, a research Pyschologist and founder of Victim Focus tells us why victim blaming is endemic.

We look at the impact of death and dying during the pandemic and hear from Sarah Tully who’s dad died from Covid-19 and from Dr Rachel Clarke a specialist in Palliative Care and the clinical Psychologist Dr Frances Goodhart.

The author Stephanie Scott tells us about the true story behind her debut novel What’s Left of Me is Yours.

We hear how are different countries are responding to gender based violence during the pandemic, with Natalie Higgins, Senior Europe Producer for the BBC.

And the actress Daisy Edgar-Jones tells us about playing the role of Marianne in the TV adaptation of Sally Rooney’s best selling novel Normal People.

Presented by: Jenni Murray

Guest; Esme Young

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

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.

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

Guest; Daisy Edgar Jones

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

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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

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