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Sister Mary Joy Langdon

Michael Berkeley's guest is Sister Mary Joy Langdon, who was the first woman operational firefighter in the UK. She later became a nun and founded the Wormwood Scrubs Pony Centre.

In the hot, dry summer of 1976, Mary Joy Langdon made a very bold decision: she joined the fire service. She was the first woman in the UK to work as a professional operational fire-fighter. Then, after eight years, she changed course - and became a nun.

In 1989, as Sister Mary Joy Langdon, she founded the Wormwood Scrubs Pony Centre, introducing inner-city children and young people with disabilities to horse riding. Recently it helped children traumatised by the Grenfell Tower fire. The Centre also attracted one of Britain鈥檚 most acclaimed painters 鈥 Lucian Freud - who came to draw the horses.

Mary Joy's music selections include Mozart, Strauss, Bach and Grieg.

Presenter Michael Berkeley
Producer Clare Walker

9 days left to listen

1 hour, 26 minutes

Last on

Sun 29 Dec 2024 12:00

Music Played

  • Edvard Grieg

    Morning Mood, Op 23, No 13 (Peer Gynt)

    Orchestra: Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Neeme J盲rvi.
    • Grieg: Complete music with orchestra: Gothenburg SO/Jarvi.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 14.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Symphony No. 6 in F Major 'Pastoral' (5th mvt)

    Orchestra: Britten Sinfonia. Conductor: Thomas Ad猫s.
    • Beethoven: Complete Symphonies 鈥 Barry: Orchestral Works.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 505.
  • Giuseppe Verdi

    Gloria all'Egitto (Aida)

    Choir: Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Orchestra: Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Conductor: Lamberto Gardelli.
    • Verdi: Aida: Chorus and Orchestra of the ROH.
    • EMI.
    • 14.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Ave verum corpus

    Choir: Cologne Chamber Chorus. Orchestra: Collegium Cartusianum. Conductor: Peter Neumann.
    • Mozart: S盲mtliche Messen / Complete Masses.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 15.
  • Andrew Lloyd Webber

    Pie Jesu (Requiem)

    Singer: Aled Jones.
    • One Voice: Believe.
    • Decca (UMO) (Classics).
    • 2.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Toccata in D minor

    Performer: Ton Koopman.
    • Archiv.
  • Johann Strauss II

    The Blue Danube - waltz

    Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Franz Welser鈥怣枚st.
    • J. Strauss II: Waltzes & Overtures.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 107.
  • Hermann Koenig

    Post Horn Galop

    Ensemble: Band of HM Royal Marines.
    • Filbert Street Blues.
    • Cherry Red Records.
    • 4.
  • Juliette Pochin

    Veni Creator Spiritus

    Composer: James Morgan. Lyricist: Trad.. Choir: Poor Clares of Arundel. Conductor: Juliette Pochin.
    • Light for the World.
    • Decca (UMO) (Classics).
    • 1.

Broadcast

  • Sun 29 Dec 2024 12:00

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