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Can I Talk About Heroes?

Is heroism still a useful idea ? How do we create heroes ? Vicky Foster looks at how ideas of heroism have impacted on society and her own life .

Vicky Foster's award-winning Radio 4 Audio Drama Bathwater looked at the effect the murder in 2005 in Hull of the father of her children, a firefighter, is still having on her family .

In this documentary, Can I talk about Heroes ? Vicky looks at the way society creates heroes, whether the meaning and significance of that label has changed in recent times and if the term is still useful .

This questioning has been prompted by her own story. Stephen Gallant, convicted of the murder of Vicky's ex-partner,was out on day licence attending a prisoner rehabilitation event in November 2019 when he tackled the London Bridge terrorist with a narwhal tusk, which caught the attention of the public and the media. He was quickly branded a 'hero' .

Vicky Foster talks to Dr Zeno Franco, Associate Professor, Medical College of Wisconsin
Emma Kinder, Victim Support’s Homicide Regional Manager
Jacquie Johnston-Lynch, Head of Services at Vitality Homes Recovery Centre
Mel, a nurse working on a covid ward.

Produced by Susan Roberts, BBC Audio North

Available now

37 minutes

Last on

Sun 27 Dec 2020 17:00

BBC Action Line

Details of organisations offering information and support with Addiction and Victim Support are available here at BBC Action Line.

Addiction:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1kS7QTDB16PWkywhsXJLzxz/information-and-support-addiction-alcohol-drugs-and-gambling

 Victim Support:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2MfW34HqH7tTCtnmx7LVfzp/victims-of-crime

 

Broadcasts

  • Tue 22 Dec 2020 20:00
  • Sun 27 Dec 2020 17:00