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Odaline de la Martinez, Working Conditions for Au Pairs, and Jessica Chastain

The Cuban-born UK-based conductor Odaline de la Martinez turns 65, the varying working conditions for au pairs in the UK, and Jessica Chastain on her role in Interstellar.

Au pairs and their host families - new research from Birkbeck, University of London indicates that there's currently little protection in terms of working hours, pay and living conditions. The Cuban born UK based conductor Odaline de la Martinez talks about turning 65 and why she's premiering part two of her Afro-Cuban Slavery Opera Trilogy at the London Festival of American Music. Giana Ferguson and her daughter Clovisse has written a book, Gubbeen: the story of a working farm and its food. She joins Jane to talk about life on the farm in West Cork, working with her husband and two children. Hollywood actor Jessica Chastain talks about her new role in the big budget movie about space and time travel, Interstellar. For seventy years the Colonial Nursing Association sent thousands of hard working, adventurous nurses to work in the colonies across the British Empire. These nurses' experiences are highlighted in Passages of Empire, the 15 minute drama on radio 4 this week. Jane talks to two former colonial nurses and Anne Marie Rafferty, historian and Professor Nursing Policy at King's College, London.

Available now

58 minutes

Chapters

  • Working Conditions for Au Pairs

    A discussion about the working hours, pay and living conditions for au pairs in the UK

    Duration: 09:07

  • Odaline de la Martinez

    Cuban born UK based conductor Odaline de la Martinez

    Duration: 08:53

  • Giana Ferguson

    Cheese maker Giana Ferguson talks about life on her family farm

    Duration: 07:02

  • Jessica Chastain

    Actress Jessica Chastain on overcoming shyness and new film Interstellar

    Duration: 06:58

  • Colonial Nurses

    Former colonial nurses talk about their experiences, with historian Anne Marie Rafferty

    Duration: 09:04

Exploited Au Pairs

The UK is home to up to 90,000 au pairs at any one time. Although the government introduced guidelines in June 2014, there’s currently have no protection in terms of working hours, pay and living conditions. Following a two year study, researchers at say the guidelinesÌý need clarification and shouldÌý be backed up by providing au pairs with a means of redress if they find that they are being badly treated by their host family. Jane Garvey talks to Daniella about her experience as an au pair and to Dr Nicole Busch one of the academics behind the research.

Odaline de la Martinez

The Cuban born UK based conductor, OdalineÌýde la Martinez, was the first woman to conduct at the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Proms in 1984. She joins Jane to talk about turning 65 and why she’s premiering part two of her Afro-Cuban Slavery Opera Trilogy at the London Festival of American Music, which she founded in 2006, to coincide with her birthday.ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

Giana Ferguson

Gubbeen is the name of a farm in West Cork, the south-westerly tip of Ireland that has been worked by the Ferguson family for five generations.Ìý Gubbeen is also the name ofÌý the cheeses that Giana Ferguson first started to produce in 1979, using the milk from her husband’s cows.Ìý Today there are four Fergusons who hold different positions on the farm.Ìý Tom has farmed all his life, Giana controls the diary, their son Fingal uses the pigs to make bacon and smoked goods from the Smokehouse and their daughter Clovisse grows vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers.Ìý Giana has now written a book with her daughter -Ìý Gubbeen: the story of a working farm and its food.Ìý She joins Jane in the studio to talk aboutÌý cheese making,Ìý the development of artisanal food production, farmers market and family life on the farm.ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

Gubbeen:Ìý The story of a Working Farm and its FoodsÌý by Giana Ferguson & Clovisse FergusonÌý Kyle Books LimitedÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

Ìý

Jessica Chastain

Jessica Chastain is one of the most acclaimed, yet private actresses in Hollywood. After learning her craft for almost a decade, she hit the big time in 2011 with the release of four films in quick succession – gaining an Oscar nomination in 2012 for her role as Celia in ‘The Help’.Ìý The following year brought her another Oscar nod for her role as Maya the workaholic CIA agent in ‘zero dark thirty’ – a film about the hunt for Osama Bin Laden. The actress seems drawn to portray characters in extreme emotional states.Ìý Jessica Chastain is now co-starring in the big budget move about space and time travel, Interstellar.Ìý She talks to Jane Garvey about what motivates her as an actress.ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

Colonial Nurses

For seventy years The Colonial Nursing Association sent thousands of hard working, adventurous nurses to work in the colonies across the British Empire. Their jobs ranged from establishingÌý clinicsÌý in remote areas to training local people in best medical practise. For some women it was a chance to live a less restrictive life than back home in Britain. For others, it was a patriotic duty to nurse abroad.Ìý These nurses’ experiences are highlighted in ‘Passages of Empire,’ the 15 minute drama on Radio 4 starting today. Anne Marie Rafferty, historian, and Professor of Nursing Policy at King’s College, London; and former colonial nurses Dorothy Pirkis and Jane Napier Bax join the programme.

The online exhibition to coincide with the Writing the Century Women's Hour drama can be found at:Ìý

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Jane Garvey
Interviewed Guest Nicole Busch
Interviewed Guest Odaline de la Martinez
Interviewed Guest Giana Ferguson
Interviewed Guest Jessica Chastain
Interviewed Guest Anne Marie Rafferty
Interviewed Guest Dorothy Pirkis
Interviewed Guest Jane Napier Bax
Producer Lucinda Montefiore

Broadcast

  • Mon 3 Nov 2014 10:00

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