Woman's Hour Folgen

The US has been convulsed by nationwide protests over the death of an African-American man in police custody. George Floyd, 46, died after being arrested by police outside a shop in Minneapolis, Minnesota. But what are black parents here saying to their youngsters about some of the images coming from America, such as the arrest footage itself, then the violent demonstrations and the angry confrontations between protesters and the police? And how does what happens there relate to how things are here?Could Neanderthal genes be influencing the fertility of modern humans? New research shows that one in three women in Europe have inherited sections of Neanderthal DNA that make them have fewer bleedings during pregnancy, fewer miscarriages and give birth to more children. Dr Hugo Zeberg from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany explains what it might mean for future fertility research.How are attitudes towards dating changing as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic? Has it changed how people feel about meeting prospective partners in real life? And now couples can meet for physically distanced dating, how confident will people feel about getting physically intimate once restrictions are lifted further? Zoe Strimpel is the author of Seeking Love in Modern Britain: Gender, Dating and the Rise of ‘the Single’. Oloni is a sex and relationships content creator. Coronavirus has made visible an often forgotten group of people – volunteers. Thousands have signed up to help the NHS, local residents’ groups have got together to help those who can’t get to the shops, or to call people who might be experiencing severe isolation. Before lockdown, Woman’s Hour began interviewing women who volunteered in all sorts of areas – from community cafes to food banks and working with the homeless. They're women who see a gap or a problem to be solved, and just get on with it – Troupers. They told their stories to Laura Thomas. Today it’s the turn of Sandy Collver, a volunteer nurse with St Johns Ambulance Sussex Homeless Service.

More from our series that celebrates the women who get things done – the Troupers. They're very bad at blowing their own trumpets so we're doing it for them. Today we hear from Annie Taylor and Wendy Robinson the founders of the Profanity Embroidery Group in Whitstable.After building up credit card debt of £25,000 Clare Seal decided she had to do something drastic to deal with it. She set up an Instagram account to make herself accountable. Posting anonymously she shared her story and offered advice and solidarity to a growing community of people. She’s now written a book with tips and advice for others in a similar situation. It’s called Real Life Money: an honest guide to taking control of your finances Plus two midwives from Kent Kent midwives - Sally Sidhu and Jan Gatehouse - who've just an award for their work on promoting colostrum tell Jane all about the benefits of so called "liquid gold" especially for premature babies. And as some children in England return to school how do you deal with a child who still needs to be shielded. Presenter Jane Garvey Producer Beverley PurcellGuest; Annie Taylor Guest; Wendy Robinson Guest; Clare Seal Guest; Sally Sidhu Guest; Jan Gatehouse

An editorial in the British Medical Journal reported that one in five harmful and dependent drinkers got the help they needed, and now the proportion will be lower. How do you cope with an alcohol problem under lockdown? We hear the experience of a listener, the journalist Catherine Renton who has been sober for over 3 years, and from Julia Sinclair, professor of Addiction Psychiatry, University of Southampton and consultant in alcohol addiction. She’s also chair of the Royal College of Psychiatry’s addiction faculty.It is fifty years since the Equal Pay Act became law. However, it’s proved tricky over the years for women to find out what their male comparators were earning. It’s also proved tricky for women without financial and legal support to use the law. However, cases have been brought over the years and as the law has been strengthened. Frances O’Grady, General Secretary of the TUC and Jane Hannon, Employment partner at the law firm DLA Piper discuss. The writer Michele Roberts discusses her memoir Negative Capability - written after the rejection of a novel by her publisher caused hurt and depression. Lizzie tells her story of giving birth during lockdown. We also hear from the obstetrician Dr Kenga Sivarajah.Council cuts have meant that there are 50% fewer public toilets than a decade ago. Coronavirus has caused even more closures – albeit temporarily. But where does that leave people who need urgent access to the loo? Jo Umbers from the Bladder and Bowel community explains how this issue is affecting women of all ages. Raymond Martin, from the British Toilet Association, discusses the economic and health importance of public toilets in a post-Covid world.Jackie Kay, the National Poet for Scotland, discusses her new online poetry and music festival Makar to Makar, which is streaming via the National Theatre of Scotland's YouTube channel. We also hear poetry from Gerda Stevenson and music from Claire Brown, who are both performing in the festival.Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Dianne McGregor