Â鶹ԼÅÄ

On Thursday 18th September, voters in Scotland will be taking part in a referendum. They’re being asked ‘Should Scotland be an Independent Country?’ So what do we know about what women are thinking about that question? And how are the two campaigns Scotland Yes and Better Together targeting women’s votes?

We hear from the Â鶹ԼÅÄ’s Referendum Correspondent Laura Bicker about how the referendum will work and how much we know about women voters.

Jane talks to leading politicians from the two camps about the case they’re putting to women voters: Nicola Sturgeon MSP, deputy first minister in the SNP government and Ruth Davidson MSP, leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party.ÌýÌýÌý

And, she’s joined by two women who are out campaigning for a ‘yes’ vote for independence – Selma Rahman and Victoria Heaney who back Women for Independence. And to Lora Bedford and Alison Dowling, two women from Better Together Women, who are out making the case for backing the continuation of the Union and a ‘No’ vote. And they discuss what they’re all hearing from the women whose votes they’re canvassing. ÌýÌý

We visit the in Edinburgh to find out how it wants to bring together excellence in research and patient care for those with multiple sclerosis and other neurological conditions. Scottish women are more likely to develop multiple sclerosis than any other demographic or national group.Ìý MS affects roughly 100,000 people in the UK, it typically affects almost three times as many women as men and the incidence is greatest in Scotland – with the Orkney Islands showing the highest rate of the disease. The clinic was set up after a donation of £10 million pounds from whose mother Anne died with the condition. Jane Garvey speaks to Professor Siddarthan Chandra andÌýDawn Lyle, Neurology Research Nurse.

Ìý

T

Sally Beamish has been composing since she was a child but only set out on the path of professional composer after moving to Scotland in 1990, having already established a successful career as a viola player.Ìý

She has written a large amount of music for orchestra,Ìýincluding symphoniesÌýand concertos.ÌýShe has also written chamber and instrumental music, film scores, theatre music, and music for amateurs.

On August 1st 2014, one of Sally Beamish’s largest and most important works will be given its London premiere at the Â鶹ԼÅÄ Proms.