Womens Show on Bedford Radio

Kayleigh makes reusable products such as sanitary pads and kitchen rolls etc Kayleigh Waplington fed up with using traditional sanitary products decided to pull out her sewing machine, and make her own. She was not happy with the alternatives that she purchased and realised that there were a need and a market for her handmade goods. She created her business Rainbow Rags. Kayleigh explains how her natural ecological business is good for the planet, healthy, all the materials are reusable and can save the user money. Within the Interview, Kayleigh and Anita talk about periods, the alternatives to traditional sanitary pads, period poverty, health benefits and pain relief when using alternative products, plus explore the stigma attached to the conversation of periods. In the future, Kayleigh hopes that more young girls will feel less squirmish about periods and start off using reusable sanitary products.

The first part of the podcast was recorded on the 8th March 2019 on International Women’s Day. Anita attended the Bedfordshire Business Women’s annual awards ceremony. In the podcast, she interviewed Alice Gadney winner Best New Business, Alison Moore winner Self-employed Businesswomen of the year, and winner Silver Heart award and Arlene Rust runner up for Best New Business and Self-employed Business Women of the Year. Also included is part of HM Lord Lieutenant Helen Nellis speech. The final part of the Podcast is an Interview with Pritti Saggi, the founder of Creating Memories, an organisation that creates the dreams of life-limiting children come true. Pritti talks about what inspired her to start the organisation and the emotional impact it has on both the children and families plus the businesses that help fulfil the dreams.

Bron opens up and talks about her life struggles living with MS, recovering from cancer, suffering from postnatal stress, dealing with depression, isolation and anxiety. Before her diagnose of MS, she had a corporate career in Financial Management Services. She was able to maintain her career until she fell pregnant with her daughter. At this point, she realised that family was more important and decided a career break was best. After a five year break, she returned to work after retraining, working self-employed helping new mums. After a routine removal of a lump, she discovered that the lump was cancerous. Bron talks frankly about her health journey, and how it has changed her. She once viewed people who took antidepressants negatively; she talks about the mental health stigma, and how this stigma was an obstacle when she realised she needed to seek help for herself. Old Bron does not exist anymore, and she has had to get used to living with new Bron. Once Bron overcame the stigma of mental health, she spoke to her GP and started CBT to help her deal with the fear of not knowing the future and also wondering if her cancer would reappear. Staying at home and not working was not enough, she now works self- employed, and her business works around her needs and her family. Her self-employment gives her the feeling of empowerment, and she is now working towards financial independence while living with MS.

Helen has given herself the unique title ‘Fairy Geek Mother’, she uses this colourful, unique job title to stand out in the business crowd. Helen is an email marketing and customer relationship management adviser, she offers support to all sized businesses but also offers a tailored service that works well with small creative and tech businesses. Today she discusses the importance of the ‘freelance Mindset’. Life changes such as having children or illness etc can create the need to rethink your career or work options, this may lead to self-employment and working around family commitments. Today I discuss with Helen how she supports her clients and why a change in life may lead to adopting a new work mindset.

Marion a retired teacher who has taught gender studies, worked internationally, grew up in a household of 4 dominate females, a feminist talks to Anita about; Bedford First Female Statue, Amy Walmsley life, Kindergarten Education, Women not supporting women, Women do not want to be empowered, Confidence and girls, Confidence can be taught, Children not encouraged to be children, Men not enjoying feeling disempowered, Educated women struggling to find husbands, Japanese Men with Virtual Wife’s, Why China and India have surplus single men.

Emma Garratt was awarded Bedfordshire Business Women of 2018 plus Deputy Lord Lieutenant in 2018. In this interview, she talks about her many accomplishments, her businesses, her marathon running, her charitable work including Soupfest. She reflects on the positive, supportive influence of her family that has inspired her to be who she is today.

Ali Moore, a Psychotherapist, explores the questions ‘Can Women have it all?’ ‘ Do women want independence or a partner to take care of them?’ ‘Why do women have to professional Trade-Off choose between their career and family once they have children, but men very often do not?’ ‘Do women lift each other or compete against each other?’ And is it okay to not want a career and to want to be a full-time mum?’

In this episode Anwyn Rowberry reflects on how her children have reacted when reading books about strong women in history. We discuss feminism, militant feminism and how Anwyn’s husband is more of a feminist than herself, fertility plus we explore the question ‘Can women have anything but not everything?’. Since arriving in Bedford 10 years ago Anwyn describes how she has utilised the great social and business support groups for women.

Anita talks to Julia Virdee a Bedford born freelance graphic designer (Julia V Design) https://www.facebook.com/juliavdesignservices. Julia received in 2018 the ‘Bedford Business Women- Self-employed woman of the year award’. Together Anita and Julia reminisce on her school days, her family childhood experiences growing up in a traditional male and female role family. Julia expresses her views on positive discrimination, man bashing, women and men empowerment, Manosphere - the anti-feminist movement and the importance educating young people on equality.

Rachel Rogan the founder of ‘ Women of Bedford’ a project raising money for Bedford’s first female Statue, has an insightful conversation with Anita, discussing female equality. Rachel answers the question ‘are women equal to men’ plus she highlights the importance of male participation when fighting for female and male equality.