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On Your Farm

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Getting to the heart of country life with a look at individual farming endeavours

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On Your Farm: 18/12/2011

18/12/2011

BBC Radio 4 - On Your Farm, 18/12/2011

'They fought in the fields' - plans are underway for a national memorial to the Land Girls

Charlotte Smith talks to former Land Girl and farming matriarch about plans for a memorial to the Women's Land Army.

Plans are underway for a memorial to the Women's Land Army and Women's Timber Corps at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. If it goes ahead a statue of the iconic land girl from the war time posters will stand alongside the memorials for the Armed Forces and other civilian services. 

In 1943, more than 80,000 women were working from sunrise to sunset toiling in the fields, doing the work of men who had gone off to fight. 

In the programme, Charlotte Smith takes a tour of the Arboretum and reminisces about the old days with 81 year old Mary Wright from Cannock who signed up to the Land Army in 1947. Mary worked for three years on a mixed farm in Burton on Trent in Staffordshire. When she left the service, she bought her own farm which she still runs with her family to this day. Sitting having tea in the farmhouse kitchen, Charlotte and Mary are also joined by Eunice Finney from the Women's Farming Union which is behind the idea for a memorial. 

This programme is presented by Charlotte Smith and produced in Birmingham by Angela Frain.

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

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18/12/2011

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