BBC Radio 4 LW

Reasons to be Cheerful

Factual: Health & Wellbeing

Series which seeks to challenge the prevailing atmosphere of doom and gloom

Series which seeks to challenge the prevailing atmosphere of doom and gloom and dares to be optimistic

Reasons to be Cheerful: Series 3

Reasons to be Cheerful: Series 3: Episode 2: Jackie Kay

Jackie Kay

Episode 2

Episode 2: Jackie Kay

Series 3

BBC Radio 4 - Reasons to be Cheerful, Series 3, Jackie Kay

Scottish poet and writer Jackie Kay does her best to cheer up Muriel Gray.

Scottish poet and writer Jackie Kay tries to convince broadcaster and writer Muriel Gray that there are things to cheer about.

Scottish poet and writer Jackie Kay does her best to cheer up Muriel Gray with her Reasons To Be Cheerful in the third series of the popular programme. The concept behind Reasons To Be Cheerful is simple. Each week a guest presenter looks at some of the things about modern life that they believe are worth celebrating.

Jackie returns to her Scottish homeland to celebrate a few of the things that she believes make modern life better. The revival of home-baking is one of Jackie's big reasons. She visits her mum's Glasgow home to sample the baked goods of her neighbours. Jackie is joined by Catharine Brown, one of Scotland's best known cookery writers.

Jackie is delighted by the current boom in the publication of poetry pamphlets. Despite living in the age of e-publishing, poetry lovers are turning to this decidedly old fashioned form of communication. Jackie visits the Edinburgh Poetry Library to see their pamphlet collection and to meet Liz Lochhead, acclaimed poet and the current Scottish Makar, the national poet.

She celebrates what she sees as a revival in activism of young people. She is particularly delighted by imaginative campaigns like Football Beyond Borders, which uses soccer to break down barriers between people. It was set up and run by young people, including her son Matthew. 

Jackie interviews Carol Craig, chief executive of the Centre for Confidence and Well-being in Glasgow. The innovative centre is dedicated to looking at ways of tackling pessimism in modern society.

Among Jackie's guests are Andy Furlong, Robyn Marsack and Jasper Kain. Along the way Jackie has to convince the broadcaster and writer Muriel Gray that there are things to cheer about.


Produced by Martin McNamara and Kim Normanton.
A Loftus Audio production for BBC Radio 4.

BBC Radio 4

BBC Radio 4 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced BBC Home Service.

Radio 4

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

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Reasons to be Cheerful

Series 3

Episode 2: Jackie Kay

Genres

Brand

Series

BBC Radio 4 LW

About BBC Radio 4