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School dinners; Child brides in Yemen; Lea DeLaria

Jenni Murray presents the female perspective on the world, discussing the state of school dinners, child brides in Yemen, and Lea DeLaria on her role in Orange Is the New Black.

Gabriella Gillespie, now 50, grew up in Wales and now lives in Bristol. Her Yemeni father was jailed for the man-slaughter of her British mother when she was six. On his release, he sent three of his daughters to Yemen for a 'holiday'. In Yemen, the sisters were sold off in marriage. Yasmin was the first to marry. Ismahan, 17, killed herself on her wedding day. Gabriella herself was married twice, first at the age of 15 but her husband died and then her father arranged a second marriage to a much older man. It was a very unhappy and violent relationship. After 17 years, she fled to the British Embassy with her five children and was sent back to the UK. She has now written a memoir called "A Father's Betrayal".

As children across the UK go back to school we discuss school meals. From September they will be offered free to all children of Primary school age in England, and in January new nutritional standards come in to force. So what's the history of the school meal system in the UK - and what will these imminent changes mean for pupils, parents, teachers and school caterers?

Lea DeLaria gave us the critically acclaimed Jazz reinventions of 'The Ballad Of Sweeney Todd' and Blondie's 'Call Me' and soon she will be releasing her fifth album where she will be taking a new look at one of pop music's most enduring singer songwriters, David Bowie. She is also working on the third series of Orange is the New Black to be broadcast next year on Netflix. Lea plays Big Boo one of the inmates in the prison where the series is based. Lea will be joining me to talk about her successful career.

And is there any such thing as "The One"? Do they really exist?

Presenter:Jenni Murray
Producer: Bernadette McConnell.

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58 minutes

Last on

Fri 29 Aug 2014 10:00

Child brides in Yemen

Gabriella Gillespie, now 50, grew up in Wales and now lives in Bristol. Her Yemeni father was jailed for the man-slaughter of her British mother when she was six. On his release, he sent three of his daughters to Yemen for a 'holiday'. The fourth one stayed in the UK where she was doing a nursing course. In Yemen, the sisters were sold off in marriage. First to wed was Gabriella's sister Yasmin, then just 14, who was forcibly taken by a man a lot older.Β  Ismahan, 17, killed herself on her wedding day rather than wed an old man. Gabriella herself was married twice, first of at the age of 15 but her husbandΒ  died after just a few weeks andΒ  then her father arrangedΒ  a second marriage to a much older man. It was aΒ  very unhappy and violent relationship. After 17 years, she fled to the British Embassy with her five children. Eventually she was flown home to the UK in 1992 with her family. She has now written a memoir called β€œA Father's Betrayal”. Jenni Murray speaks to Gabriella about her life.

School dinners

School meals were first introduced in the UK in 1906, with the Education (Provision of Meals) Act, which allowed schools to provide food for their pupils for the first time. The Act was a reflection on contemporary concerns about public health, and particularly the health of children – concerns which linger today. As of next month all infant school aged children in England will receive free school meals, and in January the government around school food are due to change. Dr Patricia Mucavele is the Head of Nutrition at and helped put together those standards. She joins Jenni, along with Dr Kate Bradley, Senior Lecturer in Social History and Social Policy at the University of Kent, to discuss the history of school food and the upcoming changes.Β  Β 

Finding 'The One'

Does 'The One' exist? Our soulmate - the person that we will love forever. Journalist Julie Burchill recently wrote about never finding 'The One' - even though she has been with her husband for nearly 20 years and adores him, she says if they broke up she would move on. As she says: β€œDo I think that we would each be alone for ever mooing in the wilderness, because we’d lost The One? Not on your nelly!”  But some people do believe in soulmates - so is there someone perfect out there for everyone? Jenni Murray speaks to writer and lecturer Sherry Ashworth and Eleanor Mills, Editorial Director of the Sunday Times.

Lea DeLaria

Lea DeLaria

Lea DeLaria gave us the critically acclaimed Jazz reinventions of 'The Ballad Of Sweeney Todd' and Blondie's 'Call Me' and soon there will be a new look at one of pop music's most enduring singer songwriters, David Bowie. Β Lea will soon be releasing her fifth album featuring cover versions of his songs but with her twist as a jazz singer.Β  She is also working on the third series of Orange is the New Black to be broadcast next year on Netflix. This is the story of Piper Chapman, a woman in her thirties who is sentenced to fifteen months in prison after being convicted of a decade-old crime of transporting money for her drug-dealing girlfriend. Β Lea plays Big Boo, one of the inmates in the prison. Jenni Murray speaks to Lea about her new album and her successful part in Orange is the New Black.

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Jenni Murray
Interviewed Guest Gabriella Gillespie
Interviewed Guest Kate Bradley
Interviewed Guest Patricia Mucavele
Interviewed Guest Lea DeLaria

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  • Fri 29 Aug 2014 10:00

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