The blog has been on the back burner for a few months while I completed my second teacher training placement but let’s return to Nan’s student teacher days now and the friendships she forged: “I met some interesting people and got friendly with an ex-actress about my age who was in my education group, called… Continue reading Nan’s Diary: Character stories from teacher training
I was looking at which part of my Nan’s memoir to focus on next and because I am teacher training in my forties with family life to juggle, and my nan also did this, I thought it would be interesting to compare the experiences. Although the circumstances that led us onto this path were different… Continue reading Nan’s Diary: Teaching through the menopause
The long-awaited Women’s Health Strategy was published last week by the Government. Whilst this is promising in terms of formally recognising the huge gender health gap that exists, it is key that what is promised comes to fruition, and does not end up as a series of empty reassurances. Although the creation of a pre-payment… Continue reading Keep an eye on the Women’s Health Strategy
One of the most interesting things I have found when looking back through my Nan’s memoirs is the mentions of other women that flit in and out of the story. This excerpt in particular made me stop and think: ‘At the bottom of the path and on the other side of Belle Hill, there were… Continue reading Nan’s Diary: Raising lost voices
Tonight’s documentary at 9pm on Channel 4, ‘Davina McCall: Sex, Myths and the Menopause’ is a must watch. The misunderstanding, misinformation and lack of GP education on the menopause, and particularly perimenopause, which many women begin to experience the effects of in their late 30s, is leaving thousands dealing with debilitating and painful symptoms, and… Continue reading My perimenopause
As the coronavirus lockdown continues, and it becomes clear that it is having a disproportionate impact on the lives of women, with warnings of a regression back to the 1950s for many, I thought I’d look further at the actual experience of my nan in the 1950s, who was also bringing up small children around the same age as mine are now. The parallels are stark – particularly the burden of unpaid labour.
I thought the blog was long overdue another post from my nan’s memoirs, especially as we head into an uncertain winter. One of the parts about her reflections I find most fascinating is the voice she brings to women’s experiences of the Second World War, particularly when it relates to the path into adulthood and… Continue reading Nan’s Diary: Coming of Age
I’ve been a bit quiet over the last month or so on here because I’ve been suffering for the last three months with urinary tract symptoms that simply won’t go away. It’s become debilitating and wearing being in constant pain, and not being able to treat it properly, and has led me to discover how… Continue reading Chronic UTIs and the scandal of poor testing
It’s International Women’s Day tomorrow. It’s being happening for over 100 years. Why do we still need it? Because we still live in a world where less than 40% of countries provide equal access to education for boys and girls, and where more than 250 million women alive today were married before they were 15*.… Continue reading Celebrating International Women’s Day
My Beautiful Diary of the Amazingly Mundane 