AN INTRIGUING new book by a Mossley author delves into the lives of nine local women who played active roles in radical movements over the past forty years.
Bernadette Hyland, a journalist and writer, has published her first book ‘Northern ReSisters: Conversations with Radical Women’ through the Mary Quaile Club.
In the first part, Bernadette speaks to the women from Greater Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds about their involvement in trade unionism, women’s liberation, radical bookselling, anti-racism, the peace movement, Ireland and Palestine.
The women include Betty Tebbs, aged 96, a trade unionist and peace campaigner since the 1940s and Christine Clark, who lives in Mossley and has campaigned on women’s rights since the 1980s.
There are also stories from Linda Clair, who campaigns on Palestine, nurse Karen Reissman who campaigns against the privatisation of the NHS; and Alice Nutter, formerly in the band Chumbawamba, who now writes drama for theatre, radio and television.
Bernadette explained: “In this book I ask the question ‘what does it mean to be an activist; how does it affect your life and how do people keep going in the face of adversity?’
“My conversations with these women tell their story of involvement in many of the important social and political issues of the post-war era. They have been chosen by me because their stories have gone untold.”
In the second part of the book Bernadette, who writes a popular blog Lipstick Socialist, has selected a number of her articles published between 1988 and 2014.
These include a discussion in 2014 with writers Cathy Crabb, who lives in Saddleworth, Alice Nutter, Maxine Peake and Sally Wainwright on whether there is such a thing as a ‘northern writer’.
‘Northern ReSisters: Conversations with Radical Women’ costs £5.95 and is available online: www.newsfromnowhere.org.uk
Alternatively, Please send orders to Mary Quaile Club, 6 Andrew Street Mossley Lancashire OL5 0DN. The cost is £6.95 including packaging and postage. Please make cheques payable to BFC Hyland.
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