A belated hello ! I am living, "better late than never" this week ! What with school holidays, domestic distastes and illness this last Decade Dames episode is a bit late ! But, I hope it is worth the wait. I think it will be as most of my interviewees said they wanted to hear 90 yr old Joyce cook’s answers to the questions I have asked all of them. So, this time you're getting an unabridged interview with more of the chat than normal. By her own admission, Joyce likes to talk !
Joyce has much to say — like all the changes she's seen (bearing in mind she was born in 1930) she has seen more changes than any of my other guests — from the local store delivering groceries to her house by bike — to the first cars in her street — to how women chose careers and the expectations society had of women pre and post war. Joyce is opinionated and passionate about her career as a speech therapist, about being true to yourself, about present-giving, laughing at yourself, about taking on challenges, about re-discovering faith - and she's my only guest with whom I discuss death in any detail. It’s not grim don’t worry — nothing about Joyce is grim. Her outlook on life is upbeat and mercilessly honest.
So this interview takes me almost to the end of this series (unless I do manage to find a 100 yr old woman that is !) but fear not, there are some added bonuses to come. But before that I have exciting news about series 3 ! In March this year I interviewed Kirstin McEwan about compassion practices and healthcare (check it out !) And that conversation led to a lot more talking and resulted in a citizen science wellbeing project called ParkBathe. Check out the Trailer all about Series 3 coming up.
But that’s not all ! Those bonus episodes from Decade Dames will also be coming later on this year with an extra interview with Liza (a lovely 80 year old woman) and ME ! This whole project took off and has turned into a research study. Sarah Crooks, who is the researcher taking this on, will analyse all of the interviews and look for patterns and connections that link the women, particularly with a view to women’s agency from 1930 to the modern day. In time, Sarah and I will have a chat about what she has found and will interview me. It seems the right way to end this series.
So I am taking a short hiatus to get on with all of that! Keep updated via my website www.vanessapotter.come and join the ParkBathe Facebook group to either get involved and participate in a free mindful walk in crystal palace park or listen to the series when it comes out. Links below.
Over to Joyce for the last word...
www.vanessapotter.com
https://www.facebook.com/groups/233131951577649
https://www.instagram.com/parkbathe/
https://parkbathe.us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=dd2a9876f0081046f036e5e05&id=e7b64686f8