The year long miners’ strike, that started in March 1984, dominated the news for 12 months. It’s been described as “a site of contested memories” and it still evokes strong feelings in those who lived through the strike and had direct experience of it.

Chris Jackson, in his very first job as a young radio reporter in South Wales, found himself covering the dispute that scarred a generation and more. Now, 40 years after the start of the strike, he’s meeting people from different sides, and together they return to a place that holds some very personal memories.

In this episode, Chris is in Sunderland to meet Neil Foster, a fourth generation miner who went on strike for the full year. They meet outside the Stadium of Light, the home ground of Sunderland Football Club, which is built on the former site of the Monkwearmouth Colliery. It’s where Neil worked and its where he got arrested on a picket line during the strike.

Presenter: Chris Jackson
Producer: Jo Dwyer
Executive Producer: Rosamund Jones
A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4 Show less