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Apps for women; Planning your funeral; Twins; Armenian Threads

The latest apps for women. Saskia Sarginson discusses her novel Twins with her own twin daughters. Plus Jenni Murray asks, we hold wedding fairs so why not have funeral fairs?

A search for apps for women instantly points you in the direction of apps that help you 'lose the belly', 'track your period' or turn your phone in to a mirror. In a very male-dominated industry, we speak to app designer Jenny Griffith and to Belinda Parmar, founder of Lady Geek which is campaigning to inspire girls to change the world through technology.

Fiona Hendry is a listener whose husband has recently died. She sent us an email suggesting that we should be able to discuss more freely what we would want our funerals to be like before we become ill. We have Wedding Fairs, so why not funeral fairs? Jenni speaks to Fiona and to Dominic Maguire, from the National Association of Funeral Directors, and to Sue Barsky Reid who runs 'Death Cafes'.

Armenian Threads is a new exhibition in Manchester by artist Sarah Greaves. It showcases a number of embroidered wooden sculptures which have been influenced by figures found in old Armenian manuscripts. On the back wall of the gallery, strips of silk fall to the floor covered with prints of Armenian lace. Also on the wall are dried pomegranates [a symbol of Armenia] and members of the Armenian community in Manchester have decorated them with Marash embroidery [which is unique to their homeland]. Jenni is joined by Sarah Greaves and by Penny Evenson, Chairman of the Armenian Ladies Association in Manchester, to talk about the new exhibition and how Armenian lace and embroidery have played their part in its creation.

The Twins by Saskia Sarginson was published on the 29th August. It has been described as a gripping, emotionally engaging psychological thriller looking at the secrets we carry with us and the bonds between twins that can never be broken...even when the unthinkable happens. Saskia is an ex-magazine journalist and has twins (fashion students who are 22 years old). Saskia and her daughters Hannah and Olivia discuss how twins have a 'gloves-off' approach with each other and how the twin bond is as strong as that between a mother and child.

Available now

45 minutes

Chapters

  • Thinking The Unthinkable

    Why it's important to discuss death and funerals with your loved ones.

    Duration: 12:16

  • Twins

    Saskia Sarginson talks about her debut novel, and is joined by her twin daughters

    Duration: 10:48

  • Apps for Women

    From charting your period to finding rich men, who is designing apps for women?

    Duration: 08:13

  • Armenian Threads

    Armenian Threads鈥 is a new exhibition in Manchester by artist Sarah Greaves

    Duration: 08:38

Thinking The Unthinkable

Last month, Woman鈥檚 Hour received an e-mail from listener Fiona Hendry which said: 鈥淢y husband died last week aged only 61. My issue is couples discussing delicate issues (and making a plan) when they are fit and well instead of having to do it when one of them is suffering serious health problems.鈥 Woman鈥檚 Hour has invited Fiona to Salford to talk to Jenni about why she feels it鈥檚 important to discuss death with your loved ones and to reveal her idea for Funeral Fayres (based on the Wedding Fayre model). They are joined by Sue Barsky Reid who runs Death Cafes and by Dominic McGuire, a past president of the National Association of Funeral Directors.

Apps For Women

More and more women are buying and using smartphones, but who is designing the apps aimed specifically at women? There are apps to help you chart your period, apps that link you up with rich men, tracking devices for your boyfriend鈥 What do women want from their apps? Jenni is joined by Belinda Parmar from the Lady Geek campaign, and Jenny Griffith, inventor and developer of a fashion app.聽

Armenian Threads

鈥楢rmenian Threads鈥 is a new exhibition in Manchester by artist Sarah Greaves. It showcases a number of embroidered wooden sculptures which have been influenced by figures found in old Armenian manuscripts. On the back wall of the gallery, strips of silk fall to the floor covered with prints of Armenian lace. Also on the wall are dried pomegranates [a symbol of Armenia] decorated by members of the Armenian community in Manchester with Marash embroidery [which is unique to their homeland]. Jenni is joined by Sarah Greaves and by Penny Evenson, Chairman of the Armenian Ladies Association in Manchester, to talk about the new exhibition and how Armenian lace and embroidery have played their part in its creation.

Twins

Saskia Sarginson talks to Woman鈥檚 Hour about her debut novel. Published today, The Twins is 鈥榓 gripping, emotionally engaging psychological thriller looking at the secrets we carry with us and the bonds between twins that can never be broken鈥ven when the unthinkable happens鈥. Jenni Murray is joined by Saskia and her twin daughters - Hannah and Olivia 鈥 who talk about what it is like to be twins.

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Jenni Murray
Interviewed Guest Jenny Griffith
Interviewed Guest Belinda Parmar
Interviewed Guest Fiona Hendry
Interviewed Guest Dominic Maguire
Interviewed Guest Sue Barsky Reid
Interviewed Guest Sarah Greaves
Interviewed Guest Penny Evenson
Interviewed Guest Saskia Sarginson
Producer Helen Lee

Broadcast

  • Fri 30 Aug 2013 10:00

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