21/12/2012

Available for over a year

Chestnuts are inextricably linked to the Christmas period as this is the time of year when they are at their best. The season only runs for around three months (November - January). Chestnuts make for a great ingredient to use for stuffing or go equally well with sprouts and bacon. But what are the other ways of using them in cooking? Jean Colclough, believed to be the longest serving nurse in the NHS, is to retire next week from the Southend University Hospital. She has spent all her working life as a nurse in that area. When she was born, the NHS didn't even exist. She is now nearly 75 and started her nurse training at the age of 18 in September 1956 earning £260 a year. She was 22 when she qualified in 1960. We hear about her memories as a nurse, how the NHS has changed and whether she still thinks it is the best form of health care. Is it possible to name our power list without the advantage of hindsight? How do we know these women really are powerful - rather than a flash in the pan? Do you need an historical perspective to define who was and is powerful? Margaret Thatcher would not be on our list today, but in terms of power, her influence and legacy probably affects all of us more now than anyone who will be on the list of 2012. Presented by Jenni Murray.