05/05/2026

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Vet du vad en helg ska vara? Den ska vara god och vill du ha ett riktigt bra helgmus kom till Villis, för där har de helgheter till vadspriser. Nu tar vi helg. Vi ses på vild.

Ingo, det är en bensinstation Sväng in, tanka. Alltid till ett hårt pris.

You're listening to Tuesday's episode of The Archers from BBC Radio 4.

Oh, hello Anna. What can I get you?

I was just looking for Helen actually. I had a quick look in at the dairy window, but she didn't seem to be there.

Oh no, she's at Jack's school assembly this morning. She'll be around later, or I can give her a message.

No, it's fine. I haven't been over there yet. I know Helen's been helping out well.

Lots of people have to do that.

I was just hoping to get her take on things before I see mum myself.

I can imagine it's tricky for you with work and everything.

Yeah.

Anyway, I've managed to clear a couple of days this week, so I can be around to help her, so that's good. Yeah.

Oh hi, Azra. Cappuccino to go?

And a granola slice, please.

How are you getting on with the mental health initiative thing you mentioned?

Oh okay, thanks. Yeah I just want to widen the scope. I'm trying to work out how.

Sorry, do you two know each other?

I I don't think so.

Anna this is Azra, I look.

Oh.

嗨, nice to meet you

Anna is Carol Tregoran's daughter.

Ooh, nice to meet you too.

You're a lawyer. Um I've been teaching for a few years, writing a bit, but I'm still picking up occasional work as a barrister.

How exciting.

I didn't practice for a while and I missed it. Also, I needed the money. Is this a local mental health initiative you're starting?

It's very much in the planning stages at the moment.

Chambers have introduced something similar recently.

Oh really?

Well they recognize that productivity is linked to well-being, and the law has this ridiculous culture of not taking breaks, staying late, and actually all that is really bad for productivity as well as mental health.

I'm thinking about it. I bet you could do some sort of a link with local employers to start something similar with them.

That'd be amazing.

I'd be happy to sign up to a pledge or whatever. And I bet the WI would be interested in running some talks about rural women's mental health.

Good thinking. Well, thanks both of you. I'm I'm really glad I came in now and not just because of the excellent coffee.

Thanks.

Thank you. Better get off to work, but uh let's talk again soon.

Definitely.

Nice to meet you, Ezra. Yeah. Are you involved with the WI then? My mum used to be active with them.

Uh

Not really, but as it happens I'm supposed to be doing a talk there next week.

Great.

I've done that thing where I've taken on too much and I'm ridiculously busy. I'm gonna struggle to fit it in. Oh, I don't suppose you might be around.

Mm-hmm. But I'm not an entrepreneur.

No, but they'd love to hear about your experience as a criminal barrister if you happen to be around next week. Um

Can I think about it? I need to see what's what with Mum first.

So that got me wondering why I had cancer so young. And whether it was something in my D and E.

Hmm. Okay, so I've had a look back at your note. And it seems that the type of cancer you had was what's known as triple negative breast cancer, as opposed to oestrogen receptor positive breast cancer. Uh was this explained to you at the time?

So, no. If it was I didn't take it in.

I'm afraid that the fact that it was triple negative means that there may be a chance that you do have a gene alteration.

Let's see.

Which means you're probably eligible for a genetic test to find out.

Okay.

But you don't have to have one. It's completely up to you.

Right.

I understand it's um it's a lot to think about.

It is. My head's spinning a bit.

Well there's no rush. Have you talked it through with your family?

Yep.

David keeps saying he'll support me whatever I decide, but it doesn't just affect me, does it? Once I know if I have the gene variant, then we all know.

Yeah. So I should tell you that if you do have a faulty gene, then it could increase your risk of getting some other cancer.

Yeah. And when you put it like that, I I think isn't it better to know and to be prepared? Then not everyone agrees. I think Pip and Ben would prefer to know on balance, but not Josh.

So...

What do I do with that?

I'm afraid so, yes.

How did they get there?

Oh, they help themselves to the key and the key safe.

Apparently they can get through quite tiny holes. So in a house as old as this

Do bats carry rabies?

There's no need to get hysterical.

I'm not getting hysterical.

What do you think is going to happen? Little bat is going to pop down to bite me in my sleep.

Possibly.

No, there's no sign that the bats have been anywhere other than the loft. And I think from what I've read that they're unlikely to attack unless they feel threatened.

Still we need to get rid of them, don't we? Why? Because you can't live with a load of bats in your attic, Mum.

I don't mind They feed on insects and mice, the big ones anyway, so that's quite helpful. And anyway you're not supposed to disturb them.

What? Cattle's right. They're a legally protected species.

So what are we supposed to do?

I've left a message for the bat conservation people to ask for advice. I dare say they'll get back to us. And in the meantime, I thought I might pop down and see what rewilding ambridge know about bats.

Right. Thanks, Leonard.

Oh welcome. Don't mention I'm very happy to help. Right then, I'll be off. Thanks for the tea, Carol. And uh lovely to see you again.

Thanks again. Bye.

Poor Leonard, said

What do you mean, poor Leonard? Poor you living in a house full of bats.

I'm sorry, Ezra. I I'm not usually this much of a ditherer.

Don't apologize. As I say, there's no rush. Might it help if I tell you a bit about the process, as I understand it?

Yeah, please.

Okay, so if you decided you want to go ahead I'd refer you to the clinical genetics team. You'd have an initial appointment with a counsellor who would assess whether you're eligible for a test. I think in your case, they'd agree that you are. And then they'd talk you through the pros and cons of being tested and help you think through all those potential issues and how to deal with them. But all of this would happen way before the test was arranged.

Oh right.

Yeah, yeah. It's a chance for you to ask all your questions and really work out what you want to do. And then you'd be offered a test. If you decided to have it and the test showed that you do have the gene alteration, then your children would also be offered counselling to explore whether they wanted to be tested.

Okay. Well, that's not entirely unexpected.

I'm sorry.

What are the chances? I mean, ballpark, what are my chances of having this gene given my type of cancer?

Mm, I don't know. But that's certainly something the genetic counsellors could advise you about, taking into account your previous experience of cancer, as well as your family history.

Right.

Ugh it's a lot to think about, I know. My advice is take your time. Discuss it with your family. Just think it through.

I will. Thanks, Ezra.

Did you want me to have a look at that shoulder while you're here?

Oh yeah, thanks. I'm glad you remembered. I completely forgot.

What do you think you're doing?

I'm just putting some of these dishes away so your surfaces are clear.

I want them clear, I want my plates on them so I can reach them.

What? You can't reach them in the cupboard.

Oh now you're putting words in my mouth. No, I'm just

Look, um shall I do us some lunch? I meant to stop on the way and get some supplies. I could nip out.

I've plenty and there's ham in the fridge, bread in the bread bin.

This hand's out of date.

It'll be fine. It's preserved, that's what ham is.

Yeah, I tell you what, why don't I pop up to the tea room to pick us up some of their sandwiches? They do soup as well.

I didn't realise you were made of mummy.

I can stretch to a sandwich. What do you fancy? I think they do paninis, wraps.

Speak.

Sourdough thing.

I'm not fuzzy.

Right.

Hey, you know, when I was up there earlier, Natasha asked if I wanted to do a talk at the WI.

The average W I

Yeah.

Natasha's book to do it, but she doesn't think she can manage it, so she wondered if I wanted to talk about being a barrister, that kind of thing.

Well I hope you said yes. The WI are crying out for good speakers. And it would be a good opportunity for you to meet some of the folk who have been helping me since my fall, as you couldn't get here yourself.

I suppose it would, yeah.

ये लुब लुब लुब लुब लुब

Oh, hi, Elena.

Leonard You've caught me having a breather. It's so lovely in this sun.

Isn't it? It's nice to take a moment to enjoy it when you can.

How did you get on with Anna and Carol?

To be honest I just brought Anna up to speed about the bats and left them to each.

Oh

Fine. Yeah, Azra says it's healing well. Already feels a lot better.

And what about the other thing? Uh not that I'm prying.

The other thing is complicated.

You know clearer.

A bit, I suppose. Azra was very good. Taught me through it all. even if I do opt for testing, it could take a long time for the actual test appointment to come through.

Well, maybe that's not such a bad thing, in your case, at least. Time for everyone to get their heads around it.

I suppose I could ask to be referred, knowing that I don't have to actually go through with it.

You could. What's your instinct? To have a test or not?

Oh I keep flipping between. One minute I think of course I should have it, and the next I think it's better not to

Well, then that's your answer for now, isn't it? You're thinking about it. You're stopping a minute, slowing down to feel the sun on your face, and to work out what's best. These things can't be rushed. Sounded there was a brew.

That would be really lovely.

So there's your roasted veg panini, your ham and piccolilly door stop, and your two lentil and bacons.

Thanks. And the latest is she's got back.

That's

Sorry, is that... Oh, you mean...

In the attic, yeah. Another thing to deal with.

Is that just you?

Yeah.

Yeah, I did have a brother, Richard, but he died.

I'm sorry.

And to be honest, I'm pretty sure that even if he was around it would still fall to me. Right. And I'm so grateful to David and Ruth and all the people in the village who are helping out, but

That's not enough.

No, it's just uh I just wish there was someone else to turn to. Someone to help make decisions. I can see that mum hates this. The idea that she isn't completely independent. That's why she's so ough, I don't know.

Yeah.

Yeah, but you know, we've got options, which is more than a lot of people in our position. It's just getting mum to consider anything other than the current situation. Anyway, I better get back.

Okay. But you know, if you ever fancy a coffee and a chat,

Thanks, Natasha. That would be great. And actually

Yeah.

If you still need a stand-in for the WI, I'm your woman.

Really? Are you sure you can spare the time?

I'm sure, and I think if I'm gonna be around a bit more, it might be good to book in a bit of time out of the house.

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