My Name Is...

In this edition of My Name Is, Abi examines the systems that exist when people are affected by domestic abuse and highlights examples of good practise which might help others in the future. With input from the police, the local authority, the voluntary sector and a forensic psychologist, she casts a spotlight on the issue and finds innovate ways of moving forward.

When Abi met Sebastian Swamy in 2014 she fell for the company boss, who appeared attentive, gentle and loving. But it did not take longer for a much darker side to emerge and in 2017 the violence and verbal abuse culminated in an attack that has left her scarred for life. He was later jailed for three years and four months, with Judge Steven Everett telling him he had shown horrendous behaviour towards his partner and the mother of his child:

He praised Abi for the courage shown throughout the court proceedings and pointed to the serious physical and mental consequences she still endured: "This had a hugely serious and catastrophic effect on her life. You used considerable power and there was a considerable effect. You kicked her to the floor. You stamped on her back. This was a hugely powerful stamp. When she turned over, as there was nothing else she could do, you stamped on the front of her chest. "

Abi is determined to help other women and in this programme she examines a unique police pilot which has seen services overhauled and led to more effective systems for helping victims in her area. She also volunteers at an innovative organisation offering a range of initiatives for victims and their children, who are often left very traumatised by what they witness.

In her own case she has struggled to accept the way her relationship deteriorated and the violence and control her former partner exerted. She hopes that her recordings will offer others the chance to recognise what might be happening and to know where they can go for help. Above all she wants to see system changes that help children form healthier views of behaviour in relationships and that tackle the shortfalls in the way that cases are handled in the courts.

Producer: Sue Mitchell
Studio Production: Sarah Hockley

Abi Blake was beaten to within an inch of her life: she wants to help protect other women.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

When Anna, 24, started her university dissertation on the word ‘terf', she expected to run into some controversy. The term is a byword for transphobia and it wasn't long before Anna was branded a terf herself and sent abuse and threats online.

Terf stands for trans-exclusionary radical feminist and was originally coined to describe feminists who oppose trans women accessing single-sex spaces like female toilets and changing rooms, sports and events. It carries an implication of hatred of trans people - a view that Anna firmly denies.

She wants to understand the term - where did it come from, what effect is it having on feminist politics, and what is at the heart of the debates in which the word is used?

She speaks to trans people and fellow radical feminists as she interrogates her own views and looks for solutions to some of the thorny issues around trans inclusion that have torn feminism apart for decades.

Producer: Lucy Proctor

Anna is branded a terf when she gets involved in the toxic debate around trans rights.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

When Anna, 24, started her university dissertation on the word ‘terf', she expected to run into some controversy. The term is a byword for transphobia and it wasn't long before Anna was branded a terf herself and sent abuse and threats online.

Terf stands for trans-exclusionary radical feminist and was originally coined to describe feminists who oppose trans women accessing single-sex spaces like female toilets and changing rooms, sports and events. It carries an implication of hatred of trans people - a view that Anna firmly denies.

She wants to understand the term - where did it come from, what effect is it having on feminist politics, and what is at the heart of the debates in which the word is used?

She speaks to trans people and fellow radical feminists as she interrogates her own views and looks for solutions to some of the thorny issues around trans inclusion that have torn feminism apart for decades.

Producer: Lucy Proctor

Anna is branded a terf when she gets involved in the toxic debate around trans rights.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Anna's grandfather had his life savings stolen by his carers, and she wants to stop it happening to anyone else. Anna knew something wasn't right, but she didn't realise what until it was too late. Now, as the carers go on trial for theft, Anna invites us to join her during the court case, as she speaks to people involved in her grandfather's care, and to people who might be able to stop something similar from happening again.

In Bridlington, Anna chats to her grandfather's neighbour Martin, who describes the kind of man he was, how they became friends, and what happened when he tried to raise his concerns. In Hull she speaks to Ben, a police officer with Humberside Police who deals with economic crimes, and in Leeds to Kay, the Crown Prosecutor who oversaw the legal case against her grandfather's carers.

Anna also speaks to Joel from Age UK, and Veronica from Hourglass, two charities devoted to supporting older people and ending the abuse they suffer.

But as the court case reaches its conclusion, will the system do its bit to protect other vulnerable people from these carers, and other people who might wish to take advantage of them?

Producer: Giles Edwards

Anna's grandfather had his life savings stolen by his carers.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Anna's grandfather had his life savings stolen by his carers, and she wants to stop it happening to anyone else. Anna knew something wasn't right, but she didn't realise what until it was too late. Now, as the carers go on trial for theft, Anna invites us to join her during the court case, as she speaks to people involved in her grandfather's care, and to people who might be able to stop something similar from happening again.

In Bridlington, Anna chats to her grandfather's neighbour Martin, who describes the kind of man he was, how they became friends, and what happened when he tried to raise his concerns. In Hull she speaks to Ben, a police officer with Humberside Police who deals with economic crimes, and in Leeds to Kay, the Crown Prosecutor who oversaw the legal case against her grandfather's carers.

Anna also speaks to Joel from Age UK, and Veronica from Hourglass, two charities devoted to supporting older people and ending the abuse they suffer.

But as the court case reaches its conclusion, will the system do its bit to protect other vulnerable people from these carers, and other people who might wish to take advantage of them?

Producer: Giles Edwards

Anna's grandfather had his life savings stolen by his carers.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

When Uganda's Asians fled Idi Amin and his men fifty years ago, many settled in Leicester. Ashok Patel was just thirteen and he still remembers how these refugees changed his school and his city, particularly the Golden Mile, a stretch of banks and shops and restaurants where he grew up. He wants to know why the community was expelled and what happened next. His first interviewee is his wife. Both she and her sister Sunita say that watching similar flights - from Syria and Ukraine - is a horrible reminder of those traumatic times.

"I've always been curious why communities are fighting each other - not just here but right around the world. Why is it we can't all get on?"

Gripping inside contributions from Manzoor Moghal, who knew Idi Amin and met him for supper after the president had fled to Jeddah; Ugandan Asian, Priti Raithatha, who says the community was partially responsible for their fate; and the captain of a Leicester golf club, Dixit Chauhan, who has been organising a tournament with the Ugandan members of Kampala golf club.

Manzoor Moghal is the author of Idi Amin: Lion of Africa

The producer is Miles Warde

Ashok Patel's wife fled Uganda 50 years ago - he wants to know what happened next.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Women's football is as popular as it has ever been. The success of England's Lionesses at the 2019 World Cup led to a huge rise in the status of the women's side of the game and many of the players are as well known well-known as the men. But one thing sets the two sides of the sports apart - the profile of LGBTQ+ players. Despite constant rumours, there has yet to be one male player who has publicly declared that he's gay while playing in the Premiership.

Beth Miles, who plays for Goal Diggers FC, a team whose ethos is to make football accessible to all women and non-binary people, where a lot of the members are part of the LGBTQ+ community wants to know why it is that male footballers still feel that they can't be honest about their sexuality, asking what it is about the open and inclusive women's game that the men's game needs to learn from.

There have been and are still frequent reports of have been a number of recent homophobic incidents at matches and she explores why it is that football still attracts these attitudes . A, are traditional attitudes around masculinity to blame? She speaks to Keegan Hirst, a Rugby League player from West Yorkshire who came out in 2015 and is still playing. He tells her about his life now and how he gives talks to young footballers about being a gay man in such a 'tough masculine' sport.

Beth, who's been a football fan since she was a girl, meets two friends at a Women's Super League game to find out from fans why it is that women's matches are so attractive to fans, and also why being an openly gay player in women's football is simply an accepted part of the modern game.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Women's football is as popular as it has ever been. The success of England's Lionesses at the 2019 World Cup led to a huge rise in the status of the women's side of the game and many of the players are as well known well-known as the men. But one thing sets the two sides of the sports apart - the profile of LGBTQ+ players. Despite constant rumours, there has yet to be one male player who has publicly declared that he's gay while playing in the Premiership.

Beth Miles, who plays for Goal Diggers FC, a team whose ethos is to make football accessible to all women and non-binary people, where a lot of the members are part of the LGBTQ+ community wants to know why it is that male footballers still feel that they can't be honest about their sexuality, asking what it is about the open and inclusive women's game that the men's game needs to learn from.

There have been and are still frequent reports of have been a number of recent homophobic incidents at matches and she explores why it is that football still attracts these attitudes . A, are traditional attitudes around masculinity to blame? She speaks to Keegan Hirst, a Rugby League player from West Yorkshire who came out in 2015 and is still playing. He tells her about his life now and how he gives talks to young footballers about being a gay man in such a 'tough masculine' sport.

Beth, who's been a football fan since she was a girl, meets two friends at a Women's Super League game to find out from fans why it is that women's matches are so attractive to fans, and also why being an openly gay player in women's football is simply an accepted part of the modern game.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

The reality of youngsters in Britain not having a proper bed to sleep on shocked Bex Wilson into taking immediate action: she's founded a charity, Zarach, which makes deliveries to families in need and over Christmas alone more than 50 beds were delivered to youngsters in Leeds.

Bex says it continually surprises her how many kids don't have beds. It was something she first noticed as a teacher, when a little boy who was normally fine in lessons was having a bad morning. At the end of the lesson she talked to him and was shocked when he told her he was always tired and didn't have a bed to sleep on.

She says at first she couldn't believe it, but then he pulled up his jumper and she saw bed bug bites across his stomach from an infected sofa cushion that he and his sister had put on the floor and were sharing each night. She decided to act and in this programme she explains what she feels needs to be done to combat this terrible disadvantage.

Realising that many other families across Leeds and Yorkshire face similar situations of being unable to afford adequate beds for their children, she gathered together friends and colleagues and set up the charity, Zarach, which means "rising light" in Hebrew. The name came from the gratitude expressed by that first mother, who told them they had brought much needed hope in her darkest days.

They have provided beds to nearly 1,400 children across Yorkshire since 2018 and the charity has grown from a family operation to a team of over 58 volunteers. They work with more than 200 schools and partner organisations to receive referrals and teachers in other areas are looking into how they can establish something similar to help those who have nothing proper to sleep on.

Produced by Sue Mitchell
Presented by Bex Wilson

As a teacher Bex Wilson saw what happened when kids didn't have beds and decided to act.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Carolyn lives in an old coastguard cottage at Cuckmere Haven in Sussex, perched on the edge of a cliff, high above the sea. Her house is vulnerable to storms, coastal erosion, and rising sea levels—threats amplified by climate change.

She talks with producer Meara Sharma about why she's fighting to save her home from falling into the sea.

Produced by Meara Sharma
A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4

Carolyn's fighting to save her home from falling into the sea.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Carolyn lives in an old coastguard cottage at Cuckmere Haven in Sussex, perched on the edge of a cliff, high above the sea. Her house is vulnerable to storms, coastal erosion, and rising sea levels—threats amplified by climate change.

She talks with producer Meara Sharma about why she's fighting to save her home from falling into the sea.

Produced by Meara Sharma
A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4

Carolyn's fighting to save her home from falling into the sea.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Chris Fox owns a restaurant in Buckingham, where the last bank is due to close.

Running a small business himself, Chris understands that banks will sometimes need to close, but this will leave the town without any banking facilities, and he's worried what it will mean for him, his customers and his community. As consumer habits change, how should banks balance their business interests with the needs of often vulnerable members of the community?

Speaking to friends and fellow business owners in Buckingham, Chris gets a sense of how this will affect people, and speaking to Jenny Ross from the consumer organisation Which?, he hears that this is happening in more and more places. So what might be done about it? Chris heads to Essex, where he visits a Banking Hub and a pop-up bank, two initiatives which might offer part of the solution. Chris is really pleased to hear that government will legislate to protect the public's access to cash, but how would that work, and is there a danger that the remedy creates new problems?

Producer: Giles Edwards

Chris Fox asks what will happen to his town now that the last bank is closing.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Seventeen-year-old Christina Adane wants to put a stop to the endless reliance on junk food and to tackle the way young people like her are targeted and trapped by clever marketing aimed specifically at them

Christina is a force to be reckoned with: her family's originally from Ethiopia and it was seeing news reports on the impact of Ebola in Africa which first sparked her political activism. During lockdown she launched the petition for free school meals out of term time - a cause taken up by Marcus Rashford. Now she's finishing her first year in sixth form and as well as contributing to a podcast with Meghan and Harry, she is seeking to challenge our reliance on fast food.

She's creative with her approach and her recordings give listeners insights into opinions across the spectrum as she speaks to health researchers, chefs, campaigners, teachers, parents and others who want things to change. As she walks down her local high street the proliferation of fast food outlets is striking and so are the numbers of youngsters congregating inside them.

These same youngsters could, she believes, become real force to be reckoned with. As the chair of the youth board of Bite Back 2030 she knows just how effective campaigns can be. In this programme she talks to fellow board member, Barakat Omomayowa about the cyclical way that fast food joints target children and the profits they're making from this. With nowhere else to congregate, they're forced to hang out at food joints, and all the more likely to go there if poor quality school meals leave them hungry at the end of the day:

`We need to reimagine our high streets. We need places that are safe and dry, with healthy, affordable, nutritious food instead of more chicken shops and places like McDonalds.` Bite Back 2030 secured a recent victory limiting junk food advertising, but Christina says that's only part of the solution:

`It's a systemic issue that comes from marketing, advertising and environment. As young people we have to battle with all of these things.`

Christina Adane is committed to improving food choices available to youngsters like her.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Seventeen-year-old Christina Adane wants to put a stop to the endless reliance on junk food and to tackle the way young people like her are targeted and trapped by clever marketing aimed specifically at them

Christina is a force to be reckoned with: her family's originally from Ethiopia and it was seeing news reports on the impact of Ebola in Africa which first sparked her political activism. During lockdown she launched the petition for free school meals out of term time - a cause taken up by Marcus Rashford. Now she's finishing her first year in sixth form and as well as contributing to a podcast with Meghan and Harry, she is seeking to challenge our reliance on fast food.

She's creative with her approach and her recordings give listeners insights into opinions across the spectrum as she speaks to health researchers, chefs, campaigners, teachers, parents and others who want things to change. As she walks down her local high street the proliferation of fast food outlets is striking and so are the numbers of youngsters congregating inside them.

These same youngsters could, she believes, become real force to be reckoned with. As the chair of the youth board of Bite Back 2030 she knows just how effective campaigns can be. In this programme she talks to fellow board member, Barakat Omomayowa about the cyclical way that fast food joints target children and the profits they're making from this. With nowhere else to congregate, they're forced to hang out at food joints, and all the more likely to go there if poor quality school meals leave them hungry at the end of the day:

`We need to reimagine our high streets. We need places that are safe and dry, with healthy, affordable, nutritious food instead of more chicken shops and places like McDonalds.` Bite Back 2030 secured a recent victory limiting junk food advertising, but Christina says that's only part of the solution:

`It's a systemic issue that comes from marketing, advertising and environment. As young people we have to battle with all of these things.`

Christina Adane is committed to improving food choices available to youngsters like her.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Claire Randall is registered blind and is part of the 73% of visually impaired people of working age that are unemployed.

She has been applying for the right jobs for years, but despite loads of experience and qualifications the rejection letters keep coming. She recently got as far as having assessments and getting jobs offered, but they were withdrawn due to the companies not being able, or willing to make changes and to get the software she needs in place.

Back in 2017, the Government pledged a ‘firm commitment' to getting a million more disabled people in work by 2027. Although disability employment figures have slightly gone up, they have remained stubbornly low for visually impaired people for decades. Claire explains the various Government schemes and legislation that exist but the reality is that Claire is still being left behind, just not considered for roles she is qualified to do.

In this episode of My Name Is... Claire investigates the obstacles that could be preventing her from successfully landing a job. From the Government's 'Access to Work' scheme, designed to provide financial aid for people with disabilities and other health conditions to get into and stay in work and the 'Disability Confident Scheme', which is a badge, employers can earn by committing to employ more disabled people, to examining how employer attitudes toward disability are a contributing factor.

Despite the promises - why are so many visually impaired people still not getting the jobs they are perfectly qualified to do?

Presenter: Claire Randall
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Executive Producer: Richard McIlroy
Sound Engineer: Ross Saunders

Claire Randall is blind - why does that mean so many employers won't give her a job?

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

When Courtney was sexually assaulted she never imagined that she would face further violation as police officers asked for access to her phone and everything stored on it - from photos to messages. She was told that if she didn't agree to their requests the case against her alleged attacker could not proceed. She had five days in which to make her decision and in the end felt that she couldn't let her most private information find its way into the hands of defence lawyers.

Here she takes up an issue which has caused her great distress and is affecting other rape victims reporting to police in this country. National consent forms, brought in to develop a common approach across all police forces, place a new emphasis on disclosing material. In order to decide what might be relevant police may have to download the entire contents of a mobile and handing over such details requires trust in the criminal justice system.

Critics warn that by focusing attention on what will be asked of the complainant, an impression has been created that victims are under investigation rather than suspects. For Courtney the stress of this invasion of her privacy contributed to post traumatic stress. In this programme she challenges the decision and asks Government Officials, police officers and other victims what they think. And she turns a spotlight on the difficult dilemmas faced in the digital age: who should have access to your most private world and how will any information gathered be used?

Courtney was sexually assaulted. Then she had to hand over her mobile phone to police.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

When Courtney was sexually assaulted she never imagined that she would face further violation as police officers asked for access to her phone and everything stored on it - from photos to messages. She was told that if she didn't agree to their requests the case against her alleged attacker could not proceed. She had five days in which to make her decision and in the end felt that she couldn't let her most private information find its way into the hands of defence lawyers.

Here she takes up an issue which has caused her great distress and is affecting other rape victims reporting to police in this country. National consent forms, brought in to develop a common approach across all police forces, place a new emphasis on disclosing material. In order to decide what might be relevant police may have to download the entire contents of a mobile and handing over such details requires trust in the criminal justice system.

Critics warn that by focusing attention on what will be asked of the complainant, an impression has been created that victims are under investigation rather than suspects. For Courtney the stress of this invasion of her privacy contributed to post traumatic stress. In this programme she challenges the decision and asks Government Officials, police officers and other victims what they think. And she turns a spotlight on the difficult dilemmas faced in the digital age: who should have access to your most private world and how will any information gathered be used?

Courtney was sexually assaulted. Then she had to hand over her mobile phone to police.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Chef Elizabeth Haigh asks whether the UK restaurant industry needs its own #MeToo moment.

After a number of high profile chefs in the US were accused of patterns of sexual harassment, bullying and assault, there has been an intense conversation globally about what it would take to eliminate such practices in the industry. Kitchens are known for long hours, highly pressurised working conditions and rigid hierarchies with all powerful chefs at the top. All these things have made it easier for bullying and harassment to go unnoticed - many female chefs have experienced abuse, but felt unable to speak up or have been punished when they do.

Elizabeth Haigh is a Michelin starred chef - and former Masterchef contestant - whose passion for cooking has seen her rise through the industry to become her own boss. But in that time she's seen a great deal of behaviour she considers inexcusable and ,on occasions, she has had to quit kitchens as a result of being bullied by colleagues.

She takes us on a journey through her world - talking frankly with chefs, people trying to inspire change and even her old employer.

Producer: Will Yates
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

Chef Elizabeth Haigh thinks the UK restaurant industry needs its own #MeToo moment. Now.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Chef Elizabeth Haigh asks whether the UK restaurant industry needs its own #MeToo moment.

After a number of high profile chefs in the US were accused of patterns of sexual harassment, bullying and assault, there has been an intense conversation globally about what it would take to eliminate such practices in the industry. Kitchens are known for long hours, highly pressurised working conditions and rigid hierarchies with all powerful chefs at the top. All these things have made it easier for bullying and harassment to go unnoticed - many female chefs have experienced abuse, but felt unable to speak up or have been punished when they do.

Elizabeth Haigh is a Michelin starred chef - and former Masterchef contestant - whose passion for cooking has seen her rise through the industry to become her own boss. But in that time she's seen a great deal of behaviour she considers inexcusable and ,on occasions, she has had to quit kitchens as a result of being bullied by colleagues.

She takes us on a journey through her world - talking frankly with chefs, people trying to inspire change and even her old employer.

Producer: Will Yates
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

Chef Elizabeth Haigh thinks the UK restaurant industry needs its own #MeToo moment. Now.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Elvis lives in Stroud in Gloucestershire. He makes a living performing poems to a paying audience who sometimes also buy his books. But Elvis hasn't seen a real audience since Burns Night 2020. As lockdown two begins, he seeks advice on how to carry on. Funny, uplifting and filled with his trademark verse, this is the story of a man, his charismatic alter ego, and his cats.
With contributions from Mrs Elvis, plus Luke Wright, who did 100 online shows in 100 days; Lottie and Miles from the Prince Albert pub, home to many raucous nights in Stroud; and the producer Frank Stirling, who explains the joys of the virtual audience.

Produced in Bristol by Miles Warde

Stand-up poet and performer Elvis MacGonagall is in search of place to... perform.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Elvis lives in Stroud in Gloucestershire. He makes a living performing poems to a paying audience who sometimes also buy his books. But Elvis hasn't seen a real audience since Burns Night 2020. As lockdown two begins, he seeks advice on how to carry on. Funny, uplifting and filled with his trademark verse, this is the story of a man, his charismatic alter ego, and his cats.
With contributions from Mrs Elvis, plus Luke Wright, who did 100 online shows in 100 days; Lottie and Miles from the Prince Albert pub, home to many raucous nights in Stroud; and the producer Frank Stirling, who explains the joys of the virtual audience.

Produced in Bristol by Miles Warde

Stand-up poet and performer Elvis MacGonagall is in search of place to... perform.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Emma Whittaker was 17 when she fell into a cycle of abusing laxatives. She first started using them when she got swept up in the detox tea craze that exploded on Instagram. These teas contained the natural laxative senna and promised to cleanse the body and get users flat tummies and perfect hair.

Emma was susceptible to the messaging. Her mum died when she was 12, and soon after she embarked on a career in modelling. `How I looked was all that mattered to me. That's all I cared about.`

Six years on, Emma has recovered from her eating disorders and she wants some answers. She has started a petition calling for a ban on the sale of laxatives and detox teas without a prescription from a GP.

Can a tea really detox the body? Is Emma's petition realistic? And what responsibility do Insta influencers have for the mental health of their followers?

Emma talks to a detox tea company CEO, an Instagram influencer and the Advertising Standards Authority to find out.

Producer: Lucy Proctor

Emma is 23 and wants to see detox teas banned. Is she right?

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Emma Whittaker was 17 when she fell into a cycle of abusing laxatives. She first started using them when she got swept up in the detox tea craze that exploded on Instagram. These teas contained the natural laxative senna and promised to cleanse the body and get users flat tummies and perfect hair.

Emma was susceptible to the messaging. Her mum died when she was 12, and soon after she embarked on a career in modelling. `How I looked was all that mattered to me. That's all I cared about.`

Six years on, Emma has recovered from her eating disorders and she wants some answers. She has started a petition calling for a ban on the sale of laxatives and detox teas without a prescription from a GP.

Can a tea really detox the body? Is Emma's petition realistic? And what responsibility do Insta influencers have for the mental health of their followers?

Emma talks to a detox tea company CEO, an Instagram influencer and the Advertising Standards Authority to find out.

Producer: Lucy Proctor

Emma is 23 and wants to see detox teas banned. Is she right?

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Emma has lived in North Devon her whole life, but now she's not sure she'll be able to stay. A few months ago, she was given notice to leave by her landlord but, with rental properties scarce and prices soaring, finding a new place to live is proving difficult.

Emma wants to understand the forces making North Devon, along with many rural spots across the country, unaffordable for locals, and how she can reset the balance. She also examines the toll the rise in staycations and the boom in rural living have had on her tight-knit community.

Even as she fights to stay in the village where she grew up, Emma recognises it is becoming less and less like the place she loves. But in leading a campaign to help local renters, Emma feels the passion and power of her community once again.

Producer: Pippa Smith
Executive Producer: Katherine Godfrey
Sound Engineer: Nigel Appleton
A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

Emma wants to know how she can stay living in her hometown.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Emma has lived in North Devon her whole life, but now she's not sure she'll be able to stay. A few months ago, she was given notice to leave by her landlord but, with rental properties scarce and prices soaring, finding a new place to live is proving difficult.

Emma wants to understand the forces making North Devon, along with many rural spots across the country, unaffordable for locals, and how she can reset the balance. She also examines the toll the rise in staycations and the boom in rural living have had on her tight-knit community.

Even as she fights to stay in the village where she grew up, Emma recognises it is becoming less and less like the place she loves. But in leading a campaign to help local renters, Emma feels the passion and power of her community once again.

Producer: Pippa Smith
Executive Producer: Katherine Godfrey
Sound Engineer: Nigel Appleton
A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

Emma wants to know how she can stay living in her hometown.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Fozia was surprised to be bombarded with fake news as she worked on the covid wards and even more shocked to discover that some of the messages were coming from prominent people in the local community. They accused doctors of forcing people to sign Do Not Resuscitate forms, suggested that Covid-19 didn't actually exist and one even told her she would be: `held responsible in the court of Allah for the deaths of these people, for negligence in this life, and life is very short."

`I've been sent a message saying that NHS workers are working on bonuses, that we're taking money for putting Covid on death certificates and we are essentially taking money for life. And I think that's a really cruel thing to say to someone," said Fozia.

She talks to a patient on the hospital's intensive care unit, Mohammed Azeem, who says he deliberately put off coming to hospital because he'd been hearing the claims on social media. By the time an ambulance was called he was dangerously ill and had to be placed straight on a ventilator. His life hung in the balance for weeks and his mother died before he regained consciousness. He says he has realised the dangers of fake news and wants to help alert others.

As part of her investigation Fozia challenges some of those behind the conspiracy theories which are so prevalent online. She speaks to the anti-5G campaigner, Mark Steel, who says that no one is safe from the alleged impact of 5G and the latest electromagnetic wave induced pandemic. She also hears from a hospital worker who admits to following the conspiracy theories and siding with them even in light of the impact she sees on the wards and her medical training.

In the African community the fear is prevalent in a group of mothers she meets: they are so worried that even if a vaccine became available they wouldn't think about taking it. One woman tells her that covid-19 is a device being used to eradicate different ethnic groups and that no one is safe. The higher death rate amongst the BAME community is just further evidence that a cleansing policy of some kind is in operation.

Fozia laments the problems fake news is causing on the wards at her hospital, the Bradford Royal Infirmary, which serves a very diverse community. Her colleague, Dr Sam Khan, shares a video his parents have seen circulating on major news channels in Pakistan. It purports to show how vaccines distributed by Bill Gates involve secret microchips. Dr Khan believes the fears were partly fuelled by the hospital's justifiable policy of not allowing visitors at the start of the pandemic.

In Accident and Emergency Fozia chats to Dr Dave Greenhorn and Sister Emma Clinton, who recently saw a patient too ill to save. Following his death from covid-19 his children turned on them, accusing medical staff of giving their father a lethal injection. For Emma and Dave it was a harrowing moment and it really hit home how difficult the task ahead is. Even publicising the good news stories and focusing on patients who get better and go home does not detract from the widespread fear.

Producer: Sue Mitchell
Presented by Dr Fozia Hayat

Dr Fozia Hayat received malicious messages as she battled to save patients with covid-19.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Fozia was surprised to be bombarded with fake news as she worked on the covid wards and even more shocked to discover that some of the messages were coming from prominent people in the local community. They accused doctors of forcing people to sign Do Not Resuscitate forms, suggested that Covid-19 didn't actually exist and one even told her she would be: `held responsible in the court of Allah for the deaths of these people, for negligence in this life, and life is very short."

`I've been sent a message saying that NHS workers are working on bonuses, that we're taking money for putting Covid on death certificates and we are essentially taking money for life. And I think that's a really cruel thing to say to someone," said Fozia.

She talks to a patient on the hospital's intensive care unit, Mohammed Azeem, who says he deliberately put off coming to hospital because he'd been hearing the claims on social media. By the time an ambulance was called he was dangerously ill and had to be placed straight on a ventilator. His life hung in the balance for weeks and his mother died before he regained consciousness. He says he has realised the dangers of fake news and wants to help alert others.

As part of her investigation Fozia challenges some of those behind the conspiracy theories which are so prevalent online. She speaks to the anti-5G campaigner, Mark Steel, who says that no one is safe from the alleged impact of 5G and the latest electromagnetic wave induced pandemic. She also hears from a hospital worker who admits to following the conspiracy theories and siding with them even in light of the impact she sees on the wards and her medical training.

In the African community the fear is prevalent in a group of mothers she meets: they are so worried that even if a vaccine became available they wouldn't think about taking it. One woman tells her that covid-19 is a device being used to eradicate different ethnic groups and that no one is safe. The higher death rate amongst the BAME community is just further evidence that a cleansing policy of some kind is in operation.

Fozia laments the problems fake news is causing on the wards at her hospital, the Bradford Royal Infirmary, which serves a very diverse community. Her colleague, Dr Sam Khan, shares a video his parents have seen circulating on major news channels in Pakistan. It purports to show how vaccines distributed by Bill Gates involve secret microchips. Dr Khan believes the fears were partly fuelled by the hospital's justifiable policy of not allowing visitors at the start of the pandemic.

In Accident and Emergency Fozia chats to Dr Dave Greenhorn and Sister Emma Clinton, who recently saw a patient too ill to save. Following his death from covid-19 his children turned on them, accusing medical staff of giving their father a lethal injection. For Emma and Dave it was a harrowing moment and it really hit home how difficult the task ahead is. Even publicising the good news stories and focusing on patients who get better and go home does not detract from the widespread fear.

Producer: Sue Mitchell
Presented by Dr Fozia Hayat

Dr Fozia Hayat received malicious messages as she battled to save patients with covid-19.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Gary is homeless, and up until very recently, slept rough on the streets of Manchester. He's confused as to why a happy childhood with his dad and a good upbringing has led him to his current position. As he puts it: "I don't know where I went wrong." But like many people on the streets Gary is mentally ill, diagnosed with schizophrenia, and despite still bearing the scars and addictions of homelessness he has a curious mind and has found himself with some questions. How did he slip through? Why has he found it so hard to get help?

The Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has a high-profile ambition to end the need for rough sleeping by 2020. Gary supports the ambition of A Bed Every Night and thinks it's right that someone is prioritising the problem, but unlike most reporters and commentators he's used it. And he explains why for him, it was not a straightforward process.

With Amanda Croome, the Chief Executive of Manchester's Booth Centre for the homeless, Gary asks about the struggling services which Amanda says make delivering help harder all over the country. Nick Buckley of the charity Mancunian Way, describes the changes he's seen on the streets in just ten years. And Gary talks his friend Robin about her experiences on the streets, and to mental health workers about sharing emergency accommodation with strangers. Can we expect charity workers to provide a level of care that's comparable to health professionals?

Gary wants to put his questions about the Bed Every Night scheme to Andy Burnham himself, giving his street level view of homelessness.

Presented by Gary.
Produced by Kev Core.

Gary is homeless and asks if ambitious plans to help people like him are working.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Gary is homeless, and up until very recently, slept rough on the streets of Manchester. He's confused as to why a happy childhood with his dad and a good upbringing has led him to his current position. As he puts it: "I don't know where I went wrong." But like many people on the streets Gary is mentally ill, diagnosed with schizophrenia, and despite still bearing the scars and addictions of homelessness he has a curious mind and has found himself with some questions. How did he slip through? Why has he found it so hard to get help?

The Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has a high-profile ambition to end the need for rough sleeping by 2020. Gary supports the ambition of A Bed Every Night and thinks it's right that someone is prioritising the problem, but unlike most reporters and commentators he's used it. And he explains why for him, it was not a straightforward process.

With Amanda Croome, the Chief Executive of Manchester's Booth Centre for the homeless, Gary asks about the struggling services which Amanda says make delivering help harder all over the country. Nick Buckley of the charity Mancunian Way, describes the changes he's seen on the streets in just ten years. And Gary talks his friend Robin about her experiences on the streets, and to mental health workers about sharing emergency accommodation with strangers. Can we expect charity workers to provide a level of care that's comparable to health professionals?

Gary wants to put his questions about the Bed Every Night scheme to Andy Burnham himself, giving his street level view of homelessness.

Presented by Gary.
Produced by Kev Core.

Gary is homeless and asks if ambitious plans to help people like him are working.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Hamza Malik coaches basketball and martial arts, he's also studying to be a physiotherapist. He believes broadening access to sport can improve opportunities for disadvantaged kids

Alongside studying for his degree Hamza Malik coaches kids in the sports he loves: martial arts and basketball. He's based in the Mandela Centre in Leeds and since lock-down he's seen kids go one of three ways: sticking with the more limited fitness opportunities online; just dropping out altogether; or rising to the challenge and securing opportunities they couldn't have foreseen. But he believes it didn't need to be such a lottery and especially one that falls so heavily on those with so little.

Across the UK kids sports have suffered, from swimming lessons through to basketball, which is now suspended - Hamza says there is still no guidance on when players can get back into training. He's worried that mixed messages, stop start regulations and the long periods of absence, will permanently set back a lot of what had been achieved. He speaks to youngsters who have embraced these disruptions and made the best of the situation; with one securing a place at a prestigious prep school and with eyes on the NBA.

As well as the success stories, he's seen the impact of youngsters deciding not to continue and he worries about what will happen. Some of those hardest hit had used sport to stay engaged. They don't have the facilities available to private schools and with most leisure centres closed or access restricted there's a big loss on many levels. Hamza is keen to pursue those in a position to help in an attempt to secure the kind of funding and commitments necessary to really ensure that talent and potential won't be lost forever.

Hamza Malik believes sport can help people in so many ways and he wants to broaden access.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Hamza Malik coaches basketball and martial arts, he's also studying to be a physiotherapist. He believes broadening access to sport can improve opportunities for disadvantaged kids

Alongside studying for his degree Hamza Malik coaches kids in the sports he loves: martial arts and basketball. He's based in the Mandela Centre in Leeds and since lock-down he's seen kids go one of three ways: sticking with the more limited fitness opportunities online; just dropping out altogether; or rising to the challenge and securing opportunities they couldn't have foreseen. But he believes it didn't need to be such a lottery and especially one that falls so heavily on those with so little.

Across the UK kids sports have suffered, from swimming lessons through to basketball, which is now suspended - Hamza says there is still no guidance on when players can get back into training. He's worried that mixed messages, stop start regulations and the long periods of absence, will permanently set back a lot of what had been achieved. He speaks to youngsters who have embraced these disruptions and made the best of the situation; with one securing a place at a prestigious prep school and with eyes on the NBA.

As well as the success stories, he's seen the impact of youngsters deciding not to continue and he worries about what will happen. Some of those hardest hit had used sport to stay engaged. They don't have the facilities available to private schools and with most leisure centres closed or access restricted there's a big loss on many levels. Hamza is keen to pursue those in a position to help in an attempt to secure the kind of funding and commitments necessary to really ensure that talent and potential won't be lost forever.

Hamza Malik believes sport can help people in so many ways and he wants to broaden access.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Haroon Mota aims to encourage, coax and cajole others in his community when it comes to getting fit and he's a man who doesn't easily take no for an answer!

In this edition of My Name Is, Haroon tackles the reasons why there is such a big gulf when it comes to fitness levels in the UK's South Asian community and he tackles the issue with those in a position to act, including Government and religious leaders who he believes could do more.

The inspiration for his approach has its seeds in his own sporting background: he was the European kickboxing champion at 17 and has a long history in sport and fitness, which he says is rooted in his DNA. Whilst at university he began volunteering for Islamic Relief and raised thousands of pounds through his first charity hike to the Everest base camp. He's gone on to lead many other charity hikes in recent years, including one to Peru.

The need to encourage greater uptake in his community when it comes to accessing outside pursuits was underlined in last year's countryside charity CPRE data, which showed that ethnic minorities have, on average, 11 times less access to green spaces than their white counterparts. It also found that only 20 per cent of BAME children who visit natural environments go to the countryside, compared with 40 per cent of white children.

Haroon takes this issue up with officials from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - their recent report highlighted the level of exclusion people from ethnic minorities feel when it comes to natural environments, with some saying they felt hyper-visible in what they see as an 'exclusively English environment.'

In conversations with some of the women now involved in one of his many hiking groups, Haroon discusses what impact they feel has come from their greater fitness levels. They talk about attitudes towards them and hurtful online attacks which followed a recent walk in the Peak District: one white woman wrote underneath the images they'd posted that it was akin to the 'migration of the wildebeests in the Serengeti.'

There is a lot of work to do when it comes to changing attitudes and Haroon is tackling things one day at a time: "When I started running marathons, I automatically became the 'Muslim marathon man,' When I started climbing mountains, I automatically became the 'Muslim mountain man,' I want to change attitudes so that Muslim people doing physical activities becomes the new norm and not a cause for comment at all."

Producer: Sue Mitchell

Haroon Mota is a man on a mission, finding new ways to encourage his community to get fit.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Hayley is worried about the education that her five-year-old autistic son George is getting at his mainstream primary school. It's been agreed by the local authority that he needs specialist provision, but the only place on offer is at a school 45 minutes away, where he would need to get a taxi there and back, every day. George is non-verbal and, for Hayley, this is not an option.

She's on a waiting list for the local school, but it could take years for him to get a place there. Over a year, Hayley embarks on a journey to try and get George a place at a local specialist school, and asks why it's so difficult for parents and carers across England to get their children the right Special Educational Needs (SEN) support.

George's mainstream school is doing the best they can, but he's excluded from some classes and they are struggling to meet his safety needs. As time goes on George is falling further behind his peers, and not getting the kind of specialist support that could help things like his communication. Hayley decides to embark on an appeal process to get George a place at the local specialist school, which will result in a legal tribunal if her appeal is unsuccessful. It's the most extreme route available to parents.

Hayley's not the only one. Since 2015, the number of parents and carers appealing to the first tier SEND Tribunals has increased year on year. Hayley meets Jen, another parent who has struggled to get her daughter Betty the right educational support. She talks to IPSEA, the Independent Provider of Special Education Advice, about the legal issues that parents are facing across the country, and hears from inclusion specialist Rob Webster who explains why the mainstream education system we currently have is unable to meet the needs of ever increasing numbers of pupils with SEN.

We hear first hand how difficult it is for parents to navigate the SEN system, and what is at stake when children don't get the right support they need.

Producer: Emma Barnaby
Executive Producer: Katherine Godfrey
Mix engineer: Rob Speight
A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

Hayley wants to know what it will take to get her autistic son the education he needs.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Hayley is worried about the education that her five-year-old autistic son George is getting at his mainstream primary school. It's been agreed by the local authority that he needs specialist provision, but the only place on offer is at a school 45 minutes away, where he would need to get a taxi there and back, every day. George is non-verbal and, for Hayley, this is not an option.

She's on a waiting list for the local school, but it could take years for him to get a place there. Over a year, Hayley embarks on a journey to try and get George a place at a local specialist school, and asks why it's so difficult for parents and carers across England to get their children the right Special Educational Needs (SEN) support.

George's mainstream school is doing the best they can, but he's excluded from some classes and they are struggling to meet his safety needs. As time goes on George is falling further behind his peers, and not getting the kind of specialist support that could help things like his communication. Hayley decides to embark on an appeal process to get George a place at the local specialist school, which will result in a legal tribunal if her appeal is unsuccessful. It's the most extreme route available to parents.

Hayley's not the only one. Since 2015, the number of parents and carers appealing to the first tier SEND Tribunals has increased year on year. Hayley meets Jen, another parent who has struggled to get her daughter Betty the right educational support. She talks to IPSEA, the Independent Provider of Special Education Advice, about the legal issues that parents are facing across the country, and hears from inclusion specialist Rob Webster who explains why the mainstream education system we currently have is unable to meet the needs of ever increasing numbers of pupils with SEN.

We hear first hand how difficult it is for parents to navigate the SEN system, and what is at stake when children don't get the right support they need.

Producer: Emma Barnaby
Executive Producer: Katherine Godfrey
Mix engineer: Rob Speight
A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

Hayley wants to know what it will take to get her autistic son the education he needs.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

No one likes rejection, but is it possible to inoculate yourself against it?

Hayley is a young woman who wants to get better at dealing with rejection and asking for what she wants without fear of No. So, she goes in search of rejections from strangers to explore whether getting rejected a lot makes it easier to deal with.

She speaks with facilitator Linda Cockburn about the notion of "rejection therapy," as well as social psychologist Vanessa Bohns, whose research illuminates how we underestimate the difficulty of saying no. She also talks with her friend Max and comedian Alice Fraser about how to transcend rejection and perhaps even learn to embrace it.

Presented by Hayley Griffin
Produced by Meara Sharma
A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4

Hayley is a young woman who wants to get better at dealing with rejection.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

No one likes rejection, but is it possible to inoculate yourself against it?

Hayley is a young woman who wants to get better at dealing with rejection and asking for what she wants without fear of No. So, she goes in search of rejections from strangers to explore whether getting rejected a lot makes it easier to deal with.

She speaks with facilitator Linda Cockburn about the notion of "rejection therapy," as well as social psychologist Vanessa Bohns, whose research illuminates how we underestimate the difficulty of saying no. She also talks with her friend Max and comedian Alice Fraser about how to transcend rejection and perhaps even learn to embrace it.

Presented by Hayley Griffin
Produced by Meara Sharma
A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4

Hayley is a young woman who wants to get better at dealing with rejection.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

No one likes rejection, but is it possible to inoculate yourself against it?

Hayley is a young woman who wants to get better at dealing with rejection and asking for what she wants without fear of No. So, she goes in search of rejections from strangers to explore whether getting rejected a lot makes it easier to deal with.

She speaks with facilitator Linda Cockburn about the notion of "rejection therapy," as well as social psychologist Vanessa Bohns, whose research illuminates how we underestimate the difficulty of saying no. She also talks with her friend Max and comedian Alice Fraser about how to transcend rejection and perhaps even learn to embrace it.

Presented by Hayley Griffin
Produced by Meara Sharma
A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4

Hayley is a young woman who wants to get better at dealing with rejection.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

"When I was in primary school, I remember being asked to draw our house. I drew our temporary accommodation, which back then was just an ordinary house. And I think about children living in these office blocks - what would they draw?"

When Immie was growing up, she lived in emergency and then temporary accommodation with her mum and three sisters. Temporary can be permanent for many people, but today she feels much more secure. Then one day something odd happened. She was on the bus, on the to deck, looking into the first floor of an ugly office block on the side of the busy A12 in north east London. She could see it had been converted, and there were people living up and down all seven floors. In tiny flats. Some of them were much smaller than the government's minimum space standard.

Immie wanted to know how this was possible.

We often hear that there is a national housing crisis, but don't always understand what that means. Immie, who is just 22, has made over 80 freedom of information requests to find out how many people are being temporarily housed in office blocks. She discovers that it is perfectly legal to do this - developers can bypass normal planning regulations thanks to Permitted Development Rights or PDR. She meets an architect and a council leader who both say it's wrong, though their reasons are not the same.

Features interviews with architect Julia Park of Leviit Bernstein; and Joseph Ejiofor, the head of Haringey Council

Jay wants to leave behind a life in gangs, but he thinks those in a position to help don't care about young men like him, and he doesn't know how to do it on his own.

Jay takes us with him on a tour of his neighbourhood - revealing an alternative geography of East London, one marked by territorial lines which are dangerous to cross; shops and street corners where friends have been shot, stabbed and died; and places of safety where he introduces us to friends he grew up and who have shared his life. At the end of a long day, he explains his motivation for wanting to get out.

After that, he sets out to meet some people who might be able to help. In a frank and open conversation he speaks to Callum, a young man in Glasgow whose story contains echoes of Jay's own, and finds out for the first time that the problems he thought were confined to his neighbourhood are far from unique. And then he goes in search of those with the power to help: a trauma surgeon, the local police commander, and the Mayor of Newham. He wants to challenge the simplistic narrative about why young men get involved in gangs in the first place, and find out why there isn't more support - of the type that was available for Callum in Glasgow - for those who want to get out.

Produced by Gaetan Portal.

Jay wants to leave behind a life in gangs, but who is there to help?

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Jay wants to leave behind a life in gangs, but he thinks those in a position to help don't care about young men like him, and he doesn't know how to do it on his own.

Jay takes us with him on a tour of his neighbourhood - revealing an alternative geography of East London, one marked by territorial lines which are dangerous to cross; shops and street corners where friends have been shot, stabbed and died; and places of safety where he introduces us to friends he grew up and who have shared his life. At the end of a long day, he explains his motivation for wanting to get out.

After that, he sets out to meet some people who might be able to help. In a frank and open conversation he speaks to Callum, a young man in Glasgow whose story contains echoes of Jay's own, and finds out for the first time that the problems he thought were confined to his neighbourhood are far from unique. And then he goes in search of those with the power to help: a trauma surgeon, the local police commander, and the Mayor of Newham. He wants to challenge the simplistic narrative about why young men get involved in gangs in the first place, and find out why there isn't more support - of the type that was available for Callum in Glasgow - for those who want to get out.

Produced by Gaetan Portal.

Jay wants to leave behind a life in gangs, but who is there to help?

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Joanna has a liver condition called Haemochromatosis. She had a liver transplant when she was nineteen days old and she's been on the transplant waiting on the list for a second transplant for several years.

She takes a range of medications each day to stay alive.

As a child her prescriptions were free but, since turning 19, she's had to pay, and she just can't afford them. Now 22 and a student, her loan and part-time job barely cover the food and rent. The one-off annual pre-payment certificate of £104, to cover her prescriptions, is out of the question.

Over the past couple of years, she's managed to pay for her prescriptions by buying a 3-monthly pre-payment certificate. She then tries to space out the collection of her prescriptions to fit as many medications into that 3-month time frame as possible.

While this works with her other medications, her anti-rejection pills don't quite stretch as there aren't quite the right number in each box. So for a few days, Joanna halves her dose to make it last until she collects her next prescription. She knows this is a risky decision, particularly given her transplanted liver is failing. But taking a few less pills for a few days feels like the right thing to do so that she can afford to eat and live.

She's baffled that she and thousands of others like her - with long-term conditions like chronic asthma, Parkinson's and Crohn's Disease - have to pay for their prescriptions, while those with conditions like Type-1 diabetes don't pay a penny. If she lived in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland she and everyone else would get their prescriptions for free.

So why is the system so unfair in England? Wouldn't free prescriptions for all - so people don't ration their life-saving medications - protect people's health and save the NHS money in the long-run?

Or is there a method in what looks, to her, like madness?

Producer: Beth Eastwood

Joanna wants to see prescription charges scrapped in England.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Joanna has a liver condition called Haemochromatosis. She had a liver transplant when she was nineteen days old and she's been on the transplant waiting on the list for a second transplant for several years.

She takes a range of medications each day to stay alive.

As a child her prescriptions were free but, since turning 19, she's had to pay, and she just can't afford them. Now 22 and a student, her loan and part-time job barely cover the food and rent. The one-off annual pre-payment certificate of £104, to cover her prescriptions, is out of the question.

Over the past couple of years, she's managed to pay for her prescriptions by buying a 3-monthly pre-payment certificate. She then tries to space out the collection of her prescriptions to fit as many medications into that 3-month time frame as possible.

While this works with her other medications, her anti-rejection pills don't quite stretch as there aren't quite the right number in each box. So for a few days, Joanna halves her dose to make it last until she collects her next prescription. She knows this is a risky decision, particularly given her transplanted liver is failing. But taking a few less pills for a few days feels like the right thing to do so that she can afford to eat and live.

She's baffled that she and thousands of others like her - with long-term conditions like chronic asthma, Parkinson's and Crohn's Disease - have to pay for their prescriptions, while those with conditions like Type-1 diabetes don't pay a penny. If she lived in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland she and everyone else would get their prescriptions for free.

So why is the system so unfair in England? Wouldn't free prescriptions for all - so people don't ration their life-saving medications - protect people's health and save the NHS money in the long-run?

Or is there a method in what looks, to her, like madness?

Producer: Beth Eastwood

Joanna wants to see prescription charges scrapped in England.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Joanne Paul, an acclaimed renaissance historian, is leaving the ivory tower of university academia this summer. A Canadian in her early-30s, she has lived, studied and worked in the UK since arriving in 2010 to do her PhD with eminent historian Quentin Skinner at Queen Mary, University of London. Despite this opportunity, life hasn't always been easy - burning the midnight oil, surviving on limited funds and never knowing where her next short term university contract will take her.

With 70,000 lecturers and researchers facing insecure contracts and casualisation, Joanne acknowledges that she is one of the lucky ones, eventually securing a coveted permanent position as a senior lecturer at the University of Sussex. But now, after nearly six years there, she has decided enough is enough and leaving is the only way she can regain control of her life.

Joanne wants to restore a work-life balance, which had been swallowed up by long unsocial hours of planning, delivering lectures, marking, targets and university admin, and is eating into her time for crucial academic research and writing. She wants to put down roots, spend time with her partner who she marries this year, run yoga classes and walk her dog on the beach in Worthing where she lives. But most of all she wants to create time and space to think, research beyond the ‘restrictive hamster wheel' of the academy, and write. Her recent book The House of Dudley - A New History of Tudor England is published this month.

In this episode of My Name I

Twenty year old student, Jordan Lee, had been planning to have fun at University: with his dyed pink hair and sense of humour he thought this would be a given. The pandemic changed everything and he's now working locally to challenge vaccine hesitancy and the fake news reports behind it.

Jordan is one of twenty Covid Ambassadors recruited in West Yorkshire from BAME backgrounds to talk to people in communities where vaccination drives are meeting resistance. It's hard to counter the avalanche of misinformation at a national level, but Jordan and the team think they can make inroads locally and help to rebuild trust.

In this programme he talks to doctors, community leaders and government officials. He also speaks to people living in some of the poorest parts of the city about their fears and what can be done to address them. He says he wanted to get involved because he knows how hard people are finding life and he believes this direct approach will work:

`We have to build the trust: you need the community to accept you and what makes this project special is that we are all from a BAME background. We're coming up with ideas and we're on their side. They can see us and know that we have no ulterior motive or agenda, there is such a strong collection of us.`

Jordan starts by meeting Shadim Hussain, a member of a Government steering group who lives in a multigenerational house in Bradford. His Mum sadly passed away from Covid in November and he's just got a call from his GP offering his 78 year old Dad the vaccine. He says it's normal for many others in his South Asian community to be advocates for their first generation parents:

`However, what is not normal is the number of children who will receive this call and refuse the vaccine on behalf of their parents! This is very worrying...we must work hard and fast to understand these fears and anxiety and protect this core of 70-80 year olds who are clearly at risk.`

Jordan talks to Dr John Wright, an epidemiologist who heads of the Bradford Institute for Health Research. He's been collecting data on both the number of missed vaccine appointments across different communities and those who are refusing the appointments at the outset. In-depth interviews locally are revealing the impact of various factors, including social media.

`The city is now braced for a fight against disinformation and antivax conspiracy theories. There's a lot of worry and hesitancy about the vaccine, particularly in our South Asian communities,` says Dr Wright.

A revealing conversation with Abdul Majid highlights the gulf that exists - he says he was good at science and has a science degree. His own father is in intensive care with covid-19 and his 61 year old uncle died of complications from covid: `I used to laugh. I thought there was no such thing. I laughed at it and now it's laughing at me. It's heart-breaking."

Abdul tells Jordan that he has shared many conspiracy theories about the pandemic on social media, and believes that scepticism locally is now widespread. This complicates the task of the covid testers in Bradford, who find that there is no answer at about half of the houses they visit, and that residents who do answer often refuse to be tested.

"Some people won't be tested because they are too busy, some don't believe in it and think it's a government conspiracy, some people won't test because if they turn out to be positive they don't want to self-isolate because of financial worries," says Ishaq Shafiq, who runs community testing for Bradford's Covid Response Hub.

Producer: Sue Mitchell

Jordan Lee hopes to rebuild trust and counter vaccine hesitancy in his Bradford community.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Twenty year old student, Jordan Lee, had been planning to have fun at University: with his dyed pink hair and sense of humour he thought this would be a given. The pandemic changed everything and he's now working locally to challenge vaccine hesitancy and the fake news reports behind it.

Jordan is one of twenty Covid Ambassadors recruited in West Yorkshire from BAME backgrounds to talk to people in communities where vaccination drives are meeting resistance. It's hard to counter the avalanche of misinformation at a national level, but Jordan and the team think they can make inroads locally and help to rebuild trust.

In this programme he talks to doctors, community leaders and government officials. He also speaks to people living in some of the poorest parts of the city about their fears and what can be done to address them. He says he wanted to get involved because he knows how hard people are finding life and he believes this direct approach will work:

`We have to build the trust: you need the community to accept you and what makes this project special is that we are all from a BAME background. We're coming up with ideas and we're on their side. They can see us and know that we have no ulterior motive or agenda, there is such a strong collection of us.`

Jordan starts by meeting Shadim Hussain, a member of a Government steering group who lives in a multigenerational house in Bradford. His Mum sadly passed away from Covid in November and he's just got a call from his GP offering his 78 year old Dad the vaccine. He says it's normal for many others in his South Asian community to be advocates for their first generation parents:

`However, what is not normal is the number of children who will receive this call and refuse the vaccine on behalf of their parents! This is very worrying...we must work hard and fast to understand these fears and anxiety and protect this core of 70-80 year olds who are clearly at risk.`

Jordan talks to Dr John Wright, an epidemiologist who heads of the Bradford Institute for Health Research. He's been collecting data on both the number of missed vaccine appointments across different communities and those who are refusing the appointments at the outset. In-depth interviews locally are revealing the impact of various factors, including social media.

`The city is now braced for a fight against disinformation and antivax conspiracy theories. There's a lot of worry and hesitancy about the vaccine, particularly in our South Asian communities,` says Dr Wright.

A revealing conversation with Abdul Majid highlights the gulf that exists - he says he was good at science and has a science degree. His own father is in intensive care with covid-19 and his 61 year old uncle died of complications from covid: `I used to laugh. I thought there was no such thing. I laughed at it and now it's laughing at me. It's heart-breaking."

Abdul tells Jordan that he has shared many conspiracy theories about the pandemic on social media, and believes that scepticism locally is now widespread. This complicates the task of the covid testers in Bradford, who find that there is no answer at about half of the houses they visit, and that residents who do answer often refuse to be tested.

"Some people won't be tested because they are too busy, some don't believe in it and think it's a government conspiracy, some people won't test because if they turn out to be positive they don't want to self-isolate because of financial worries," says Ishaq Shafiq, who runs community testing for Bradford's Covid Response Hub.

Producer: Sue Mitchell

Jordan Lee hopes to rebuild trust and counter vaccine hesitancy in his Bradford community.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Josh Walker was a volunteer with the YPG or People's Protection Units in northern Syria. He wants to know why the media fail to explain the complexities of war.
With Lindsey Hilsum of Channel 4 news, MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle, and artist George Butler who specialises in war reportage.

The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde

Josh Walker saw the war in Syria firsthand and is angry it isn\u2019t reported better.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Josh Walker was a volunteer with the YPG or People's Protection Units in northern Syria. He wants to know why the media fail to explain the complexities of war.
With Lindsey Hilsum of Channel 4 news, MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle, and artist George Butler who specialises in war reportage.

The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde

Josh Walker saw the war in Syria firsthand and is angry it isn\u2019t reported better.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Joshua Styles finds the rest of us see weeds and moss. But its not only a beauty, he can see an environmental worth in them,that is being dangerously ignored.

Josh has loved weeds, mosses and other plants since he was a boy, turning his Mum's back garden into a haven for the type of growth the rest of us spend hours and lots of money trying to get rid of. His enthusiasm is infectious, Josh is desperate for us us all to appreciate the unloved bits of our natural world, not just because he does, but because it could help save the planet. These mosses and weeds play a massive role in sucking up carbon from the atmosphere and even provide the base for medicines used to treat some of our worst illnesses

But he argues that the Sphagnum Mosses that he talks so joyfully and passionately about arent as loved as the poster boys and girls of the environmental movement. like pandas and whales

In 'My Name Is', Josh asks whether the fauna below our feet can ever be taken as seriously if their worth to us isn't properly explained

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Joshua Styles finds the rest of us see weeds and moss. But its not only a beauty, he can see an environmental worth in them,that is being dangerously ignored.

Josh has loved weeds, mosses and other plants since he was a boy, turning his Mum's back garden into a haven for the type of growth the rest of us spend hours and lots of money trying to get rid of. His enthusiasm is infectious, Josh is desperate for us us all to appreciate the unloved bits of our natural world, not just because he does, but because it could help save the planet. These mosses and weeds play a massive role in sucking up carbon from the atmosphere and even provide the base for medicines used to treat some of our worst illnesses

But he argues that the Sphagnum Mosses that he talks so joyfully and passionately about arent as loved as the poster boys and girls of the environmental movement. like pandas and whales

In 'My Name Is', Josh asks whether the fauna below our feet can ever be taken as seriously if their worth to us isn't properly explained

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Julie has become increasingly worried about her children's education over lockdown. She is a single mum on a low income and life changed overnight, bringing financial stress and the challenges of homeschooling. Already aware of the existing attainment gap between the children of disadvantaged households and those in more affluent ones, she asks if she is alone in worrying about the effect of lockdown on children's education and if it has indeed increased these differences.

She speaks to her children Alex and Tom as well as to Sammy Wright, a teacher and Social Mobility Commission lead for Schools and HE; to Kadra Abdinasir, Head of Children and Young People's Mental Health at the Centre for Mental Health; Professor Greta Defeyter, Director of the Healthy Living Lab at Northumbria University; and also to Robert Halfon MP, Chair of the Education Select Committee.

Producer: Philippa Geering
Executive Producers: Sean Glynn, Max O'Brien
A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

Julie asks if lockdown has affected her children's future.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Julie has become increasingly worried about her children's education over lockdown. She is a single mum on a low income and life changed overnight, bringing financial stress and the challenges of homeschooling. Already aware of the existing attainment gap between the children of disadvantaged households and those in more affluent ones, she asks if she is alone in worrying about the effect of lockdown on children's education and if it has indeed increased these differences.

She speaks to her children Alex and Tom as well as to Sammy Wright, a teacher and Social Mobility Commission lead for Schools and HE; to Kadra Abdinasir, Head of Children and Young People's Mental Health at the Centre for Mental Health; Professor Greta Defeyter, Director of the Healthy Living Lab at Northumbria University; and also to Robert Halfon MP, Chair of the Education Select Committee.

Producer: Philippa Geering
Executive Producers: Sean Glynn, Max O'Brien
A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

Julie asks if lockdown has affected her children's future.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Kabir Hussein, a young man who suffered from a rare blood disorder during his formative years, wants to see what can be done to relieve trauma for children suffering from illnesses.

Conventionally, cancer patients and survivors are often associated with death and despair. Kabir is committed to a positive outlook on his own experiences, and he often feels like an anomaly. From literature to film depicting their stories as tragic, Kabir wants to change the discourse and explore the different ways in which children's mental health can be prioritised alongside their physical health.

Now, fully recovered and in his early 20s, he takes a retrospective look on his illness, discovers how treatments for his condition are evolving, revisits the key figures who defined his own experience and explores the work the NHS is doing to provide genuinely rounded care for seriously ill children.

Producer: Dahaba Ali
Executive Producer: Robert Nicholson
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Kabir Hussein, a young man who suffered from a rare blood disorder during his formative years, wants to see what can be done to relieve trauma for children suffering from illnesses.

Conventionally, cancer patients and survivors are often associated with death and despair. Kabir is committed to a positive outlook on his own experiences, and he often feels like an anomaly. From literature to film depicting their stories as tragic, Kabir wants to change the discourse and explore the different ways in which children's mental health can be prioritised alongside their physical health.

Now, fully recovered and in his early 20s, he takes a retrospective look on his illness, discovers how treatments for his condition are evolving, revisits the key figures who defined his own experience and explores the work the NHS is doing to provide genuinely rounded care for seriously ill children.

Producer: Dahaba Ali
Executive Producer: Robert Nicholson
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Kate E. Deeming is well-known in her neighbourhood as a dancer with many personas - the Disco Chicken, the Boogie Unicorn, Dance-stronau

Forty year old Katie gambled over £50,000 in one night. in this programme she investigates how online gambling companies routinely break the regulations supposed to protect people like her.

Katie was a successful accountant working in the City of London, but she started using cocaine to stay awake to cope with the workload. After being signed off work from stress, her drug use increased. While unemployed she started gambling online after seeing advertisements on television.

The regulations say gambling companies should check the incomes of customers, and step in when they display online signs of problem gambling. This includes using a range of credit cards and playing all night - all things Katie did as she gambled away £125,000 with two gambling firms; all on credit cards. With one she lost £50,000 in a single night.

After rehabilitation Katie got hold of her account data from the gambling firms. She believes it proves how the gambling companies broke the rules and it also shows transcripts of the manner in which they spoke about her. Katie told the regulator, the Gambling Commission, about her case, but so far has heard nothing about what they are doing.

With the help of BBC Producer, Lydia Thomas, Katie wants to talk to the Gambling Commission, and she wants to meet the gambling companies who so far have refused to comment on her case. She also meets with politicians who are making promises to tighten gambling laws - Katie wants to kno

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Liam was sent to prison at just 18 for aggravated burglary and a range of other crimes. After he was released, he was sent back to prison within just two months for reoffending - and the cycle began again.

Locked up for 23 hours every day with few opportunities for self-improvement, Liam came to the view that prisons did little to rehabilitate offenders, especially those with drug addictions or mental health issues.

Eventually, thanks to the intervention of some charities, Liam found fulfilling work on a rural farm which set in motion his return to a life away from criminality and drug use. Being surrounded by nature and a new environment allowed him to gain a sense of purpose he wasn't able to find behind bars.

Latest figures show that one in four people who commit a crime in the UK go on to reoffend. The numbers are higher in the North East of England. Liam wants to understand why so many people end up in prison multiple times, costing the economy billions, and what opportunities and pitfalls there are in rural communities for people like him who have left prison.

Could the countryside hold the answer to pushing down the number of reoffenders?

Producer: Emily Finch
Executive Producer: Robert Nicholson
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

Liam investigates reoffending rates in rural areas.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Lucy is single, 41 and looking for a long-term relationship. Through apps like Tinder, Bumble and Hinge, she's now been on over 500 dates.

After five years of swiping through potential dates like it's a never-ending card game, Lucy wants to work out whether she's wasting her time using apps which don't seem to be invested in helping her find love. Is she right about this? Should she rid of them and concentrate on living her best single life instead?

To work this out, Lucy discovers how the algorithms work and whether they are actually failing her; why people behave badly on the apps and how to remain optimistic.

Lucy talks to: Nichi Hodgson, author of The Curious History of Dating, from Jane Austen to Tinder; Luke Stark, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Information & Media Studies at the University of Western Ontario; Sacha McElligott, President of Replay app and Dr Helen Fisher, biological anthropologist and author of Anatomy of Love: A Natural History of Marriage, Mating and Why We Stray.

Producer: Eliza Lomas

Lucy is single, 41. Is it time for her to abandon computer-generated love matches?

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Lucy is single, 41 and looking for a long-term relationship. Through apps like Tinder, Bumble and Hinge, she's now been on over 500 dates.

After five years of swiping through potential dates like it's a never-ending card game, Lucy wants to work out whether she's wasting her time using apps which don't seem to be invested in helping her find love. Is she right about this? Should she rid of them and concentrate on living her best single life instead?

To work this out, Lucy discovers how the algorithms work and whether they are actually failing her; why people behave badly on the apps and how to remain optimistic.

Lucy talks to: Nichi Hodgson, author of The Curious History of Dating, from Jane Austen to Tinder; Luke Stark, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Information & Media Studies at the University of Western Ontario; Sacha McElligott, President of Replay app and Dr Helen Fisher, biological anthropologist and author of Anatomy of Love: A Natural History of Marriage, Mating and Why We Stray.

Producer: Eliza Lomas

Lucy is single, 41. Is it time for her to abandon computer-generated love matches?

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

New standards in hairdressing were announced in 2021 which mean trainee hairdressers will now learn how to cut and style afro-textured hair. Will these changes bring the choice that so many black women like Natalie have been asking for? And if so, could this be at the expense of black-owned hairdressers?

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Natalie has always struggled to get a decent haircut in high-street hairdressers. The reason? She has afro-textured hair.

New standards in hairdressing were announced in 2021 which mean trainee hairdressers will now learn how to cut and style afro-textured hair. Will these changes bring the choice that so many black women like Natalie have been asking for? And if so, could this be at the expense of black-owned hairdressers?

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Natasha talks with producer Ben Carter about her struggles as she embarks on a journey to try and find some answers. Along the way she meets Dr Edmond Edi-Osagie, a gynaecologist and reproductive medicine specialist, Helen George, a NHS psychotherapist and Yacoub Khalaf, a clinician and member of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) who regulate clinics in the UK.

Producer: Ben Carter

Editor: Emma Rippon

Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot

Natasha is 38. She wants to have a baby but is struggling to find a non-white egg donor.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Natasha is 38 and trying to have a baby. She's had four unsuccessful rounds of IVF and doctors have told her that it's highly unlikely she'll be able to use her own eggs. She needs an egg donor but her heritage is Caribbean and she can't find anyone suitable. Natasha wants to find out why it's so difficult to source a non-white egg donor and why there is such a taboo around egg donation within the black community.

Natasha talks with producer Ben Carter about her struggles as she embarks on a journey to try and find some answers. Along the way she meets Dr Edmond Edi-Osagie, a gynaecologist and reproductive medicine specialist, Helen George, a NHS psychotherapist and Yacoub Khalaf, a clinician and member of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) who regulate clinics in the UK.

Producer: Ben Carter

Editor: Emma Rippon

Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot

Natasha is 38. She wants to have a baby but is struggling to find a non-white egg donor.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Natasha is 38 and trying to have a baby. She's had four unsuccessful rounds of IVF and doctors have told her that it's highly unlikely she'll be able to use her own eggs. She needs an egg donor but her heritage is Caribbean and she can't find anyone suitable. Natasha wants to find out why it's so difficult to source a non-white egg donor and why there is such a taboo around egg donation within the black community.

Natasha talks with producer Ben Carter about her struggles as she embarks on a journey to try and find some answers. Along the way she meets Dr Edmond Edi-Osagie, a gynaecologist and reproductive medicine specialist, Helen George, a NHS psychotherapist and Yacoub Khalaf, a clinician and member of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) who regulate clinics in the UK.

Producer: Ben Carter

Editor: Emma Rippon

Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot

Natasha is 38. She wants to have a baby but is struggling to find a non-white egg donor.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Domestic abuse survivor Natasha Saunders wants to find out why threatening to share intimate images isn't a criminal offence in England and Wales. Natasha was tormented for years by an ex-partner who used the threat to share intimate photos with her family, friends and work colleagues as a way to keep control over her. When Natasha reported these threats to police she was told they were powerless to act until her ex actually shared the photos.

But in Scotland the law changed in 2017 and threats to share is a criminal offence there and it's punishable by up to five years in prison.

Natasha talks to Nicole Jacobs, Domestic Abuse Commissioner in England and Wales, 'Jane', a domestic abuse survivor in Scotland, Detective Inspector Steven McMillan from Scotland's National Domestic Abuse Task Force and Caroline Nokes MP, Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee.

Producer: Ben Carter
Editor: Emma Rippon
Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman
Sound Engineer: Nigel Appleton

Details of organisations offering information and support with domestic violence are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline, or you can call for free, at any time to hear recorded information on 0800 888 809.

Why isn't threatening to share intimate images a criminal offence in England and Wales?

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

In 2016 research by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University found that just 0.2% of journalists are Black - that is one in every 500. Yet Black people make up nearly 4% of the population.

At a time when the Black Lives Matter movement has become resurgent and the coronavirus pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on Black and Brown people, Niellah asks what life is like for Black journalists in the UK today.

She speaks to some of Britain's leading journalists about how they tackle the challenges of getting into the industry, facing racial prejudice both in newsrooms and in reporting, and finding their voice to report on the experiences of their communities and society as a whole.

She asks what needs to be done to change the culture of Britain's newsrooms, and what steps need to be taken for print and broadcast journalism to be more inclusive and to truly represent the nation in all its diversity.

Niellah speaks to Liv Little of gal-dem Magazine, Nadine White of the Huffington Post and Rianna Croxford of BBC News. She meets with ITV News anchor Charlene White, talks to journalist and academic Marcus Ryder and questions the Managing Editor of the Evening Standard and The Independent, Doug Wills.

Presented by Niellah Arboine

Produced by Mugabi Turya and Seren Jones.

(Photo: Niellah Arboine. Photo credit: Shop退 Delano)

Niellah Arboine asks why Black journalists are so underrepresented in Britain's newsrooms

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Niellah Arboine is a young journalist at the start of her career. She wants to know why Black journalists like her are so underrepresented in broadcast and print journalism.

In 2016 research by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University found that just 0.2% of journalists are Black - that is one in every 500. Yet Black people make up nearly 4% of the population.

At a time when the Black Lives Matter movement has become resurgent and the coronavirus pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on Black and Brown people, Niellah asks what life is like for Black journalists in the UK today.

She speaks to some of Britain's leading journalists about how they tackle the challenges of getting into the industry, facing racial prejudice both in newsrooms and in reporting, and finding their voice to report on the experiences of their communities and society as a whole.

She asks what needs to be done to change the culture of Britain's newsrooms, and what steps need to be taken for print and broadcast journalism to be more inclusive and to truly represent the nation in all its diversity.

Niellah speaks to Liv Little of gal-dem Magazine, Nadine White of the Huffington Post and Rianna Croxford of BBC News. She meets with ITV News anchor Charlene White, talks to journalist and academic Marcus Ryder and questions the Managing Editor of the Evening Standard and The Independent, Doug Wills.

Presented by Niellah Arboine

Produced by Mugabi Turya and Seren Jones.

(Photo: Niellah Arboine. Photo credit: Shop退 Delano)

Niellah Arboine asks why Black journalists are so underrepresented in Britain's newsrooms

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

The London sixth former was inspired to act after 16-year-old Greta Thunberg began skipping classes to sit outside government buildings last September. She accused Sweden of not following the Paris Climate Agreement and her protests inspired tens of thousands of children across the globe to hold their own demonstrations.

Noga had not been intending to become a leader of UK wide protests, but the February strike UK day saw thousands of schoolchildren and young people walk out of classes and in London at least they needed some direction. As youngsters gathered on the grass she stepped forward and took charge, with protestors snaking behind her as they headed for Trafalgar Square.

Once there she was handed a microphone and started to speak, her passion and anger spilling over into an impromptu blockade of the roads as children linked arms and chanted. Her actions catapulted her centre stage in what is now a growing movement and the recordings follow her as she plans the March 15th strike day and urges parliament to tackle the escalating ecological crisis.

This is the first programme of a new series in which someone at the heart of a breaking news story takes listeners through their interactions as events unfold. In these recordings Noga discusses the preparations and the lead up to the global school strikes; the biggest environmental protest that students have organised and taken part in: `Our time to save our planet is running out; we have twelve years left before our impending environmental doom can't be stopped and we have to legislate new regulations now or we will not have a world as we know it.`

She says she feels increasingly optimistic: `it's such a powerful thing for students to come and say their piece. I'm here to make a stand, to make a difference. For me going to the first UK school strike in February was something I had to do - there was no way I could avoid it or make excuses. When I got there I knew I had to step forward and take a lead because we needed to make our voices heard.`

Organisers estimated that around 3,000 schoolchildren and young people gathered in London, with 2,000 in Oxford and smaller protests in many other cities. The March 15th strike day looks set to take place in more than 50 countries, although the Youth Strikes for Climate movement is not centrally organised, so keeping track of the fast growing number of strikers is difficult.

Noga says she will continue to organise the actions until there is climate justice: she is keen to debate her views on what could be done and takes her message to delegates attending the International Petroleum Conference in London. She speaks to her MP and liaises with those pioneering new approaches, whilst also promoting individual changes to friends and neighbours.

`I'm just a kid like any other kid, but having been in theatre for a while has given me the confidence and the leadership skills to not back down, to not hesitate when eyes are on me. And I think that was a key factor when people were asking what to do - I just had to come up with something on the spot. I got things organised and people followed me as we marched.

`There's a massive positive reaction to the action. I think it's so inspiring and powerful to see how many people care and how many young people took to the streets. We are saying that we won't have schools to go to if we don't fix this in the next twelve years.

`For me it's a really strange concept that people know who I am. When people are relying on the next generation to be the next leaders and to lead us into a future where climate change hopefully won't have the horrible impact we think it will, then we've got to be ourselves and we've got to show who we are or people won't listen to us.`

Produced by Sue Mitchell

I'm doing everything I can to help save our planet. I have to.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

My Name Is Peter: I helped battle to stop the devastation caused by the Fishlake floods.

Deputy flood warden Peter Trimingham worked tirelessly to limit the impact of the Fishlake floods. He was born in the village and wants others to be spared from the horror of seeing so many suffer such loss in such a short space of time:

`That really sticks in your throat you know that regardless of your efforts you can do nothing to help people, it's a horrible feeling
You just feel so small and insignificant and useless: this is something much more powerful than you and it can't be imagined unless you've been in it.`

In this programme Peter questions those responsible for flood defences, including the Environmental Agency and speaks to academics and campaigning groups about what can be done to better protect people in the future.

He is confident that measures will be put in place to make future flooding unlikely in Fishlake, but he wants a more coordinated approach: `I don't want to see us defended so well that it guarantees someone else gets it. That's not what we are about as a country.`

When the water levels began to rise on Friday, Peter went out in his Jeep to fill sandbags and deliver them to neighbours: `We were driving along and all of a sudden we were lifted up by the flood water in a sideways flow which shoved us into a drain. We had to climb out otherwise we could have drowned,` he said.

In the recordings he meets local families suffering as insurance companies delay and even initially refused payments. He lives in the one of the `lowest house in the village,` and it was a race against time to get belongings off the floor as the water started seeping in from every hole and crevice:

`You're in your house that you've lived in and you're frantically trying to get things away and at this stage you have no idea how high the water will rise.`

Within hours of the floods people began donating food, clothing and essential supplies to St Cuthbert's church. Its pews are now stuffed with bedding and supplies are covering all available surfaces. Peter chats with organisers who feel that long term solutions can in part come from locals doing more to plant trees and encourage wildlife in the future.

When Peter was a boy rain from the hills of Sheffield would take a full day to reach Fishlake: `now with the spread of warehouses, concrete and block paving that run-off time is twelve hours: "`When we got to Stainforth Bridge we could see it was overbanking quite heavily, filling up low level areas. Some of the houses were wrecked as the floods took hold. Its photographs, memories, clothing and belongings - they're all gone. It's heart-breaking.`

Produced by Sue Mitchell

My Name Is Peter: I helped battle to stop the devastation caused by the Fishlake floods

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

My Name Is Peter: I helped battle to stop the devastation caused by the Fishlake floods.

Deputy flood warden Peter Trimingham worked tirelessly to limit the impact of the Fishlake floods. He was born in the village and wants others to be spared from the horror of seeing so many suffer such loss in such a short space of time:

`That really sticks in your throat you know that regardless of your efforts you can do nothing to help people, it's a horrible feeling
You just feel so small and insignificant and useless: this is something much more powerful than you and it can't be imagined unless you've been in it.`

In this programme Peter questions those responsible for flood defences, including the Environmental Agency and speaks to academics and campaigning groups about what can be done to better protect people in the future.

He is confident that measures will be put in place to make future flooding unlikely in Fishlake, but he wants a more coordinated approach: `I don't want to see us defended so well that it guarantees someone else gets it. That's not what we are about as a country.`

When the water levels began to rise on Friday, Peter went out in his Jeep to fill sandbags and deliver them to neighbours: `We were driving along and all of a sudden we were lifted up by the flood water in a sideways flow which shoved us into a drain. We had to climb out otherwise we could have drowned,` he said.

In the recordings he meets local families suffering as insurance companies delay and even initially refused payments. He lives in the one of the `lowest house in the village,` and it was a race against time to get belongings off the floor as the water started seeping in from every hole and crevice:

`You're in your house that you've lived in and you're frantically trying to get things away and at this stage you have no idea how high the water will rise.`

Within hours of the floods people began donating food, clothing and essential supplies to St Cuthbert's church. Its pews are now stuffed with bedding and supplies are covering all available surfaces. Peter chats with organisers who feel that long term solutions can in part come from locals doing more to plant trees and encourage wildlife in the future.

When Peter was a boy rain from the hills of Sheffield would take a full day to reach Fishlake: `now with the spread of warehouses, concrete and block paving that run-off time is twelve hours: "`When we got to Stainforth Bridge we could see it was overbanking quite heavily, filling up low level areas. Some of the houses were wrecked as the floods took hold. Its photographs, memories, clothing and belongings - they're all gone. It's heart-breaking.`

Produced by Sue Mitchell

My Name Is Peter: I helped battle to stop the devastation caused by the Fishlake floods

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Philip Price has become increasingly worried about where he will live when he and his wife retire in the next few years.

After raising three children and working their entire lives, Philip and his wife have not been able to save money for their retirement. The toll on Philip's body working as a septic tank driver has been terrible, and he can't continue past retirement age in such a labour intensive job. The couple have come to the drastic decision to move into a converted campervan as they will no longer be able to afford their rent on a state pension.

Philip wants to know why he has to make the move into a van and what support is in place for retirees like him. Shouldn't retirement be about relaxing and not worrying about housing security?

He's determined to find out how he can have a good retirement and what help is out there for others in his situation.

Producer: Emily Finch
Assistant Producer: Jill Achineku
Executive Producer: Robert Nicholson

A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

Philip Price asks why some pensioners live in poverty despite working their whole lives.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Philip Price has become increasingly worried about where he will live when he and his wife retire in the next few years.

After raising three children and working their entire lives, Philip and his wife have not been able to save money for their retirement. The toll on Philip's body working as a septic tank driver has been terrible, and he can't continue past retirement age in such a labour intensive job. The couple have come to the drastic decision to move into a converted campervan as they will no longer be able to afford their rent on a state pension.

Philip wants to know why he has to make the move into a van and what support is in place for retirees like him. Shouldn't retirement be about relaxing and not worrying about housing security?

He's determined to find out how he can have a good retirement and what help is out there for others in his situation.

Producer: Emily Finch
Assistant Producer: Jill Achineku
Executive Producer: Robert Nicholson

A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

Philip Price asks why some pensioners live in poverty despite working their whole lives.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Rachel Waddingham hears voices. The first time she heard them she was lying in a bed. `You're so stupid`, `they are watching you`, `it would be much better if you just ended it all`. She was also convinced she was being watched, that she was at the centre of a conspiracy. She ended up dropping out of university and eventually was admitted to a psychiatric unit. `I began to hear the alien speak to me, and that alien told me that I was a murderer, that it could control me, that it was going to make me kill people. It was a hideous terrifying voice.` She was put on medication and it looked like everything was working. `I was less troubled, less troubled by the voices`, she says. After a few weeks Rachel was discharged, but was soon back in again, with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. `I lost all hope. It wasn't so much the voices that kind of risked my life, it was this hopelessness, this sense that I'd never be part of the normal world`. She tried to escape from the ward and was subsequently sectioned.

Rachel became what's called a ‘revolving door patient', in and out of hospital, sectioned multiple times. Each time she became more and more alarmed by what she saw as the lack of humanity in the system. This is Rachel's story of being sectioned in 21st Century Britain. It's an intimate and revealing insight into what it's like to be a ‘revolving door patient'. Talking to a consultant psychiatrist, a psychiatric nurse and the lead author of a recent government review of the Mental Health Act, she challenges the status quo and considers how things might change. Rachel asks why she doesn't have more rights to decide her own care and treatment, and explores how to break the cycle of the ‘revolving door' patient.

Details of organisations offering information and support with mental health are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline, or you can call for free, at any time to hear recorded information on 08000 155 998.

Rachel hears voices. She became a 'revolving door' patient. She wants things to change.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Rachel Waddingham hears voices. The first time she heard them she was lying in a bed. `You're so stupid`, `they are watching you`, `it would be much better if you just ended it all`. She was also convinced she was being watched, that she was at the centre of a conspiracy. She ended up dropping out of university and eventually was admitted to a psychiatric unit. `I began to hear the alien speak to me, and that alien told me that I was a murderer, that it could control me, that it was going to make me kill people. It was a hideous terrifying voice.` She was put on medication and it looked like everything was working. `I was less troubled, less troubled by the voices`, she says. After a few weeks Rachel was discharged, but was soon back in again, with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. `I lost all hope. It wasn't so much the voices that kind of risked my life, it was this hopelessness, this sense that I'd never be part of the normal world`. She tried to escape from the ward and was subsequently sectioned.

Rachel became what's called a ‘revolving door patient', in and out of hospital, sectioned multiple times. Each time she became more and more alarmed by what she saw as the lack of humanity in the system. This is Rachel's story of being sectioned in 21st Century Britain. It's an intimate and revealing insight into what it's like to be a ‘revolving door patient'. Talking to a consultant psychiatrist, a psychiatric nurse and the lead author of a recent government review of the Mental Health Act, she challenges the status quo and considers how things might change. Rachel asks why she doesn't have more rights to decide her own care and treatment, and explores how to break the cycle of the ‘revolving door' patient.

Details of organisations offering information and support with mental health are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline, or you can call for free, at any time to hear recorded information on 08000 155 998.

Rachel hears voices. She became a 'revolving door' patient. She wants things to change.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

When I started my acting career, this wasn't the thing that initially held me back. If anything, the struggle then was to fund a career in an industry that's hard for low-income families to navigate. Thankfully, I did well and started making a name for myself on the stage, working alongside Mark Rylance and being mentored by him. I've performed in productions produced by the Shakespeare Globe and am tipped as one to watch by newspapers like The Voice. Given how well I was doing, I hadn't imagined how hard it would be to move to screen roles.

In this edition of My Name is.... I'll be exploring the challenges faced by young black actors in the UK and what happens in the audition process and beyond.

Why are so many of the roles earmarked for us so detrimental to the representation of black people and what can we do to challenge the racism that's holding us back?

My recordings will feature a range of different people across the industry. Including stars like Tobi Bakare, who recently decided to quit the hit BBC show Death in Paradise. And Aml Ameen, the acclaimed British actor who successfully paved a career in Hollywood and has starred in Sense8, the Maze Runner, and The Butler, just to name a few.

I'll be investigating the compromises we've made and exposing those that we feel are unacceptable.

In my early twenties, I was used to reading for small `gang roles`, but after a successful run in a special birthday celebration of Shakespeare at Westminster Abbey, I was cut short by a theatrical agent. He greeted me with the words: `Diversity is the new thing:` an automatic red flag that immediately put me on guard. His rejection letter came with the cursory words:

`We've already got someone who looks like you on our books.`

I want to challenge this and help pave the way for black youngsters still in school and dreaming of following this path in life. There are already so many obstacles in their way, from fees for drama school, through to the difficulties of navigating class barriers that can hold them back. As black actors go further on in our careers, we know how much is still left to do. The industry has been shutting us out for too long and we won't let this keep happening.

It is time that our voices are heard and acknowledged and there are solid changes made!

Presented & written by: Ricardo P Lloyd

Ricardo P Lloyd investigates some of the obstacles facing black actors like him in Britain

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Richard is a gamekeeper and special constable with Hertfordshire Constabulary. He is increasingly angry about the rise in rural crime - everything from dangerous fly tipping to livestock poaching and theft of valuable farm machinery.

The toll on our countryside and rural communities is profound, but often ignored, as crime leaves emotional, environmental and economic wreckage behind in places that can ill afford it.

Aware of the need for something to be done, he's desperate to see a change in society's attitudes and meets those also involved in tackling the issue.

Producer: Howard Shannon
Executive Producer: Robert Nicholson
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

Gamekeeper and special constable Richard is concerned about the rise in rural crime.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Richard is a gamekeeper and special constable with Hertfordshire Constabulary. He is increasingly angry about the rise in rural crime - everything from dangerous fly tipping to livestock poaching and theft of valuable farm machinery.

The toll on our countryside and rural communities is profound, but often ignored, as crime leaves emotional, environmental and economic wreckage behind in places that can ill afford it.

Aware of the need for something to be done, he's desperate to see a change in society's attitudes and meets those also involved in tackling the issue.

Producer: Howard Shannon
Executive Producer: Robert Nicholson
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

Gamekeeper and special constable Richard is concerned about the rise in rural crime.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Rod is fighting to break the culture of silence around male fertility.

Rod Silvers and his wife tried to have a child through IVF, a process that was ultimately unsuccessful. After that experience, Rod went in search of stories about people like him - childless men - and found nothing. Now he's on a mission to raise awareness about what it's like to be a man without kids.

Eleven-year-old Roman is adjusting to a new three-day limit on his use of screens.
He's a huge fan of Minecraft and he also uses Tik Tok and You Tube.
Mum Louisa and dad Ben think during the pandemic there has been too much time spent on screens and they're trying to restore a balance - but what do the experts say?
Cambridge Research Fellow Dr Amy Orben and Professor Andrew Przybylski of the Oxford Internet Institute take Roman through research which suggests that there may not be a great deal of evidence to show that screens have a major impact on young people's happiness.
But the views of mum and dad are the ones that matter. They chart their reasons for wanting to bring more balance to the use of screens at home.
Sebastian Suggate shares his research with Roman - discussing the impact of media on young children's capacity for forming their own mental images.
Along the way Roman hears about the difficulty of age verification for sites like Tik Tok - but also that increasingly scientists wanting to study how screens affect us are kept in the dark by tech companies' reluctance to share data about how we use their platforms. The information our time on screens gives them is a valuable commodity - one which they're keen on protecting.

A Government spokesperson said: `Technology gives children and young people a wealth of information and increasing their social interactions. But spending too much time on devices can place children at risk because not all content and images are suitable for young audiences. We are working closely with industry to tackle online harms, and protect children and young people."

Presented by Roman
Produced by Kevin Core

Roman is 11 and loves Minecraft - should his parents be so strict about screen time?

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Eleven-year-old Roman is adjusting to a new three-day limit on his use of screens.
He's a huge fan of Minecraft and he also uses Tik Tok and You Tube.
Mum Louisa and dad Ben think during the pandemic there has been too much time spent on screens and they're trying to restore a balance - but what do the experts say?
Cambridge Research Fellow Dr Amy Orben and Professor Andrew Przybylski of the Oxford Internet Institute take Roman through research which suggests that there may not be a great deal of evidence to show that screens have a major impact on young people's happiness.
But the views of mum and dad are the ones that matter. They chart their reasons for wanting to bring more balance to the use of screens at home.
Sebastian Suggate shares his research with Roman - discussing the impact of media on young children's capacity for forming their own mental images.
Along the way Roman hears about the difficulty of age verification for sites like Tik Tok - but also that increasingly scientists wanting to study how screens affect us are kept in the dark by tech companies' reluctance to share data about how we use their platforms. The information our time on screens gives them is a valuable commodity - one which they're keen on protecting.

A Government spokesperson said: `Technology gives children and young people a wealth of information and increasing their social interactions. But spending too much time on devices can place children at risk because not all content and images are suitable for young audiences. We are working closely with industry to tackle online harms, and protect children and young people."

Presented by Roman
Produced by Kevin Core

Roman is 11 and loves Minecraft - should his parents be so strict about screen time?

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Eleven-year-old Roman is adjusting to a new three-day limit on his use of screens.
He's a huge fan of Minecraft and he also uses Tik Tok and You Tube.
Mum Louisa and dad Ben think during the pandemic there has been too much time spent on screens and they're trying to restore a balance - but what do the experts say?
Cambridge Research Fellow Dr Amy Orben and Professor Andrew Przybylski of the Oxford Internet Institute take Roman through research which suggests that there may not be a great deal of evidence to show that screens have a major impact on young people's happiness.
But the views of mum and dad are the ones that matter. They chart their reasons for wanting to bring more balance to the use of screens at home.
Sebastian Suggate shares his research with Roman - discussing the impact of media on young children's capacity for forming their own mental images.
Along the way Roman hears about the difficulty of age verification for sites like Tik Tok - but also that increasingly scientists wanting to study how screens affect us are kept in the dark by tech companies' reluctance to share data about how we use their platforms. The information our time on screens gives them is a valuable commodity - one which they're keen on protecting.

A Government spokesperson said: `Technology gives children and young people a wealth of information and increasing their social interactions. But spending too much time on devices can place children at risk because not all content and images are suitable for young audiences. We are working closely with industry to tackle online harms, and protect children and young people."

Presented by Roman
Produced by Kevin Core

Roman is 11 and loves Minecraft - should his parents be so strict about screen time?

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

Sam is 23, and suffers from a severe muscle wasting disorder. He wants to know why - like hundreds of thousands of other disabled people - he can't find a suitable home of his own.

Since graduating from university last summer, he's had to live in hotel rooms for several months, and now in temporary council accommodation which could be taken from him if he refuses to accept permanent housing he feels is very unsuitable.

Sam's Duchenne muscular dystrophy means he needs a home with proper equipment suited to his care needs. In common with hundreds of thousands of others around the UK, he is desperate to live independently - but the severe lack of accessible and suitable housing now jeopardises not just his domestic comfort, but also his job and mental health.

Presenting 'My Name Is Sam' for BBC Radio 4, he goes in search of answers from landlords, government officials and builders to discover why they aren't providing anywhere near enough suitable housing for those in dire need.

Sam discovers why disabled people can't find suitable housing in today's Britain.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

As a young Muslim growing up in Bradford, Samayya Afzal has never felt anything but British but she's no stranger to Islamophobic slurs and attacks. As she says, `It was at a young age that I realised I was different. And people want to punish that difference`.

And when 50 people were killed at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand last year, Samayya noticed a sharp rise in Islamophobic incidents in the UK - a spike apparently confirmed by the monitoring group Tell Mama.

The Home Office has now pledged an extra £5 million to help make Mosques and other places of worship safe but Samayya feels much more needs to be done.

In this programme, Samayya takes a deeply personal look at the issue of Mosque safety and Islamophobia in the UK, as she seeks answers from faith leaders, fellow worshippers and the government.

Presenter: Samayya Afzal
Producer: Mend Mariwany
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

Samayya Afzal wants the government to do much more to make UK mosques safe from attack.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

As a young Muslim growing up in Bradford, Samayya Afzal has never felt anything but British but she's no stranger to Islamophobic slurs and attacks. As she says, `It was at a young age that I realised I was different. And people want to punish that difference`.

And when 50 people were killed at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand last year, Samayya noticed a sharp rise in Islamophobic incidents in the UK - a spike apparently confirmed by the monitoring group Tell Mama.

The Home Office has now pledged an extra £5 million to help make Mosques and other places of worship safe but Samayya feels much more needs to be done.

In this programme, Samayya takes a deeply personal look at the issue of Mosque safety and Islamophobia in the UK, as she seeks answers from faith leaders, fellow worshippers and the government.

Presenter: Samayya Afzal
Producer: Mend Mariwany
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

Samayya Afzal wants the government to do much more to make UK mosques safe from attack.

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

As far back as she can remember, Dr Samantha Batt-Rawden dreamed of being a doctor at the sharp end of medicine. For several years, she has worked on the frontline of the NHS as a registrar in A&E and intensive care, and is three years away from qualifying as a consultant.

But the rising pressure on services has left her worrying that she can `no longer keep her patients safe`. She says, `I used to love my job and now I'm dreading what I'm going to find when I walk in there.`

In a few months, she will leave the NHS to begin a new career with the Air Ambulance, enticed by the promise of saving lives within a well-resourced emergency service. Sammy isn't alone. Last year, a poll by the General Medical Council found that over half of NHS doctors were considering leaving the NHS or slashing their hours.

Before she leaves, Sammy is determined to find out how things could be improved for her NHS colleagues.

Producer: Dan Hardoon
Reporter: Sara Parker
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

I'm an intensive care doctor. I love my job but it's taking its toll. Should I quit?

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

As far back as she can remember, Dr Samantha Batt-Rawden dreamed of being a doctor at the sharp end of medicine. For several years, she has worked on the frontline of the NHS as a registrar in A&E and intensive care, and is three years away from qualifying as a consultant.

But the rising pressure on services has left her worrying that she can `no longer keep her patients safe`. She says, `I used to love my job and now I'm dreading what I'm going to find when I walk in there.`

In a few months, she will leave the NHS to begin a new career with the Air Ambulance, enticed by the promise of saving lives within a well-resourced emergency service. Sammy isn't alone. Last year, a poll by the General Medical Council found that over half of NHS doctors were considering leaving the NHS or slashing their hours.

Before she leaves, Sammy is determined to find out how things could be improved for her NHS colleagues.

Producer: Dan Hardoon
Reporter: Sara Parker
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

I'm an intensive care doctor. I love my job but it's taking its toll. Should I quit?

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

The first time Tommy was excluded he was 5 years old. Moved from a large mainstream school, he entered a small Pupil Referral Unit with only 10 pupils all of whom had been removed from mainstream education.

"I was the youngest in the school and at the bottom of their food chain. So I was bullied for my weight and because I had social attachment issues with my mum. I couldn't take my frustrations out on the other kids because I was such a small child, so I started to lash out at my teachers."

As Tommy grew older, his problems deepened both at school and at home. Eventually, he joined a special school for boys with severe social, emotional and mental health needs. It wasn't until after he left school that Tommy finally received a medical diagnosis of ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

In these recordings, Tommy goes back to one of his old schools to have a frank discussion with his teacher about the reasoning behind exclusions and how schools could help to prevent them. Plus, Carol Homden from Coram Children's Charity discusses new research on the experiences of families and children living with these issues.

After multiple exclusions, life went downhill for Tommy, until he hit rock bottom aged 17. Now he's trying to turn his life around, and he chats to current mentor, Josh Babarinde from social enterprise Cracked It, about the things that have helped him to make progress.

The Producer is Michelle Martin.

Tommy was using a pseudonym during this programme. Support organisations are listed in the Related Links section below.

Tommy is 19 and was excluded from nine schools. Can he turn his life around?

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.

The first time Tommy was excluded he was 5 years old. Moved from a large mainstream school, he entered a small Pupil Referral Unit with only 10 pupils all of whom had been removed from mainstream education.

"I was the youngest in the school and at the bottom of their food chain. So I was bullied for my weight and because I had social attachment issues with my mum. I couldn't take my frustrations out on the other kids because I was such a small child, so I started to lash out at my teachers."

As Tommy grew older, his problems deepened both at school and at home. Eventually, he joined a special school for boys with severe social, emotional and mental health needs. It wasn't until after he left school that Tommy finally received a medical diagnosis of ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

In these recordings, Tommy goes back to one of his old schools to have a frank discussion with his teacher about the reasoning behind exclusions and how schools could help to prevent them. Plus, Carol Homden from Coram Children's Charity discusses new research on the experiences of families and children living with these issues.

After multiple exclusions, life went downhill for Tommy, until he hit rock bottom aged 17. Now he's trying to turn his life around, and he chats to current mentor, Josh Babarinde from social enterprise Cracked It, about the things that have helped him to make progress.

The Producer is Michelle Martin.

Tommy was using a pseudonym during this programme. Support organisations are listed in the Related Links section below.

Tommy is 19 and was excluded from nine schools. Can he turn his life around?

An individual with a story to tell, and some answers to find, in today's Britain.