Meadows to Meaders 4

Southmead Cares

Meadows to Meaders 4: Southmead Cares theme tune by Jack Orozco Morrison

Meadows to Meaders 4: Southmead Cares was broadcast during the Platinum Jubilee weekend on BBC Radio Bristol. You can hear all four episodes below.

Each 30 minute episode has been written and performed by the community and features cast members talking about their experiences.

Episode 1 is set during the Second World War and features Southmead at a time before the NHS when getting medical help would hit the family budget.

Episode 2 covers the cold winter of 1947 when Southmeaders opened their doors to take in children from war torn Germany.

You can read more about this story on the In Someone Else’s Shoes pages.

Children from Hamburg with their host families at Fonthill, Southmead, image courtesy of Mary Fowler

Episode 3, takes place in 1952 when Port Elizabeth House (Bristol’s first council built home for elderly people) in Southmead saw its first residents.

Residents in the common room at Port Elizabeth House in the 1950s, Bristol Archives, 40826/HSG/102

Episode 4, is set in the 1960s and a time when a house fire in the neighbourhood threatened one family Christmas, but brought the community together.

You can hear this original story and others that have contributed to the Meadows to Meaders scripts on the project memories page.

‘Meadows to Meaders: The Radio Play’ was recorded and edited by BBC Radio Bristol.

Cast list in order of appearance:

IRIS MEADER – Sher Fowler

ROSE MEADOWS – Deana Perry

EDGAR MEADOWS – Mike Murch

EDITH – Susan Richards

VERA MEADOWS – Patricia Newport

BETTY – Pam Fowler

BRENDA – Anthea Mustard

BERT – Daniel Bryan

BILL – Ron Brooks

RUBY – Andie Fowler

JUNE – Jacqui Searle

GLADY PROWSE – Janet Moreton

DR LEECH – Abby Lamb

MR CLARKE – Michael Shields

BAMFORD – Benj Foster

STOCK – Harry Withers

LANDER – Esther Myers-Insole

FOLEY – James Robins

NORMA MEADER – Ali Prince

VIOLET – Pam Fowler

DELPHINE – Ali Prince

ARTHUR – Ron Brooks

BILLY MEADER – Harry Withers

DENNIS MEADOWS – Michael Shields

SERGEANT – Mike Murch

DOROTHY – Anthea Mustard

FLORA – Libby Everall

STANLEY – Michael Shields

JOURNALIST – James Robins

  • Theme tune composed by Jack Orozco Morrison
  • Sound engineering by Ian Hodson and Jack Woolcomb
  • Sound editing by Tom Ryan
  • Script collectively written by the cast and shaped by Ruth Myers
  • Produced for radio by Ruth Myers, Dean Poolman and Kirsty Ward
  • Directed by Carlota Matos
  • Creative Producer was Ruth Myers