Woman's Hour - 09/07/2009

With Jenni Murray. Laura Dockrill is a 23-year-old poet, writer, illustrator and performer. Her performance poetry describes everything from South London 'rude girls' and Rolf Harris fanatics to try-hard mums who just want to be cool. Her second book is a short story about a teenage misfit known as Ugly Shy Girl. She performs on the programme. One hundred and fifty years ago, a young woman had the idea to set up an organisation to help the 'superfluous' women of England. Jessie Boucherett's 'Society for Promoting the Employment of Women' was the first to help the thousands of middle-class women who needed to work in order to support themselves. At a time when being a governess or lady's companion was virtually the only occupation open to the genteel, the Society campaigned to make it acceptable for women to work as bookkeepers, typists, printers and hairdressers. As the Society celebrates its sesquicentenary, Jenni talks to Dr Anne Bridger and Dr Pamela Hirsch about the Society's illustrious history. A report has exposed severe gaps in care for a condition which affects an estimated 120,000 people in the UK. Parkinson's requires a complex mix of monitored drug management, social care, physiotherapy and psychological support; the report highlights problems including limited information for patients, lack of respite for carers and poor access to expert nursing and therapy. Jenni Murray is joined by Val Buxton from the Parkinson's Disease Society and by a woman who lived with undiagnosed Parkinson's for 14 years. Melissa Wareham spent 15 years working at Battersea, the world's oldest and possibly most famous dogs' home. Starting as a kennel maid when she was 18 years old, she worked her way up to becoming Rehoming Manager, responsible for helping rescued dogs find good homes. She tells Jenni about the joys of watching a family be reunited with their lost dog and the grief of seeing what cruelty humans can inflict upon their unwanted animals. She also recalls the special dogs she has met along the way.