Woman's Hour

With the government announcement that low risk, pregnant women prisoners, and those in mother and baby units are to be released we hear from Dr Kate Paradine, Chief Executive of Women in Prison and Natasha Walter, Director of Women for Refugee Women. They discuss their concerns and reveal the fears of women in Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre, where a COVID 19 case has already been confirmed. Coronavirus has finally reached the Outer Hebrides. So for our second instalment of the Woman’s Hour Corona Diaries, Jenni speaks to Angela Crawford from the Isle of Lewis. How is this news affecting island life? What does social distancing look like in one of the more remote parts of the UK? And how do people feel about supplies and medical care away from the mainland? Kayleigh Llewyellyn is the writer and creator of a new BBC comedy drama series In My Skin. Based on her own story of her childhood years in Wales, it follows 16 year Bethan as she negotiates her school life, sexuality, and hiding her mother’s mental illness from her friends and teachers. She’s also one of the writers on the fourth series of Killing Eve. She joins Jenni to discuss. Regula Ysewijn’s new book ‘Oats in the North, Wheat from the South’ is a love letter in recipes to the history and heritage of British baking culture. Each of the recipes are accompanied by stories of landscape, legends and traditions of Great Britain. Regula joins Jenni to talk about how the diverse climate of the British Isles influenced the growth of cereal crops and the development of a rich regional baking identity. Presenter - Jenni Murray Producer – Sarah Crawley Guest - Dr Kate Paradine Guest - Natasha Walter Guest - Angela Crawford Guest - Kayleigh Llewyellyn Guest - Regula Ysewijn

All professional and grassroots football matches across the country have been suspended due to the COVID-19 outbreak. As the men’s teams are forced from the pitch and income falls away what will happen to the women’s teams they supported? Jen O'Neill, editor of shekicks.net and Kerys Harrop, Captain of Birmingham City Ladies, discuss the issues. The Children’s Commissioner for England, Anne Longfield, told Woman’s Hour at the start of the year that the system of support for the most vulnerable children was under strain. The Covid 19 crisis has put additional pressures on that system, with many vulnerable children now out of school and many of their services closed. She says that she’s especially concerned about one million children who were at risk -living in households which are not stable, where there might be domestic violence, drug or alcohol addiction, financial hardship and severe mental health issues. She explains what these children need now. The Lives of Houses – a collection of essays which asks what a house can tell us about the person who lived there. Hermione Lee describes why we are so fascinated by the homes of the famous and often long dead. And, as the word home takes on a new significance in this lockdown – how hard is isolation if you live alone and how can you avoid suffering from loneliness? Jenni speaks to Kate Shurety the executive Director of the Campaign to End Loneliness and Rosie Weatherley from the mental health charity Mind.

We're being told to work from home if we can, so how's it going? What if you're sharing your home with someone else #WFH? Do you have enough space? As well as the paid work you're doing, how are the chores getting divided up? And what about looking after children in the middle of it all? Victims of violence in the home are being reassured that there's still help available for them despite what's happening. Sarah Green from End Violence Against Women describes how dangerous the lock-down is for victims of domestic abuse. We hear from Kate Elisabeth Russell, author of My Dark Vanessa. It's about an American teenager who's been groomed and raped by a teacher. At the time that it's happening the character thinks it's love, but realises when she's older that is was abuse. And how we're using tech to stay in touch. Lara Lewington from BBC Click gives us some tips on Zoom, Whatsapp and Houseparty.

The Royal College of Midwives says that coronavirus may mean its staff have to work elsewhere in the NHS, rather than looking after pregnant women. Dr Mary Ross Davie explains the RCM's concerns. Social workers are trying to keep working safely and effectively despite restrictions around Covid-19. However, a survey by the British Associations of Social Workers says many haven't been given solid advice or the right personal protection equipment. Dr Ruth Allen, Chief Executive of the BASW, describes the challenges that social workers face right now. We hear from two healthcare workers who've cared for SARS patients and Ebola patients. How did they cope during those pandemics and what can we learn from them now? And Calamity Jane: you're probably thinking of Doris Day right now but Calamity Jane really did exist in real-life. Professor Karen R. Jones from the University of Kent tells us how an American called Martha Jane Canary was the real Calamity Jane.

For women of colour, planting is becoming a popular way to establish ownership and celebrate cultural heritage. Aimée Grant Cumberbatch, founder of Grown, a gardening club for women of colour, and Flo Headlam, professional gardener and BBC Two’s Gardeners’ World’s first black presenter discuss. Ten organisations across the UK including Rape Crisis and End Violence Against Women have issued a joint statement about the impact Covid-19 could have on the lives of women and children. Women's Aid, Lucy Hadley on what action they would like to see taken. Dr Camilla Pang was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder at the age of eight. Now aged 26, and with a PhD in biochemistry, she has used her specialist scientific knowledge to identify what it really means to be human in her new book, 'Explaining Humans'. Why do we choose the clothes we do? In her new book, ‘Dress Your Best Life’, the American fashion psychologist Dawnn Karen explains how our clothing is the ‘connective tissue’ between the physical and emotional. How can parents help their children navigate the constant stream of information about Covid-19 online? Sonia Livingstone, professor of social psychology at the London School of Economics and an expert in digital literacy in children, and GP Dr Radha Modgil discuss. How is Covid-19 affecting regular Woman's Hour listeners? We hear from Mercy Haruna. Exercising when you're isolated at home. Fitness instructor Rosemary Mallace of Over Fifty Fitness and Professor Janet Lord, an expert in muscle health and immunity from the University of Birmingham, about why keeping moving is particularly important as you get older, and what you can do to exercise at home. Presenter: Jenni Murray Producer: Dianne McGregor