Learning and growth
can be solitary pursuits.
We close doors,
turn inwards, seek a private space
in which to thrive.
And yet we need each other -
as friends, as family,
as fellow students in the school of life.
Mr Sinclair. Pastor.
Come and join us again. Yes, of course.
More new faces, more souls saved.
And even less room in here than there was last week.
It's good that the church is growing, Mrs Wallace.
It would be better
if this flat was growing too. But it's not.
We need a proper church building.
The Sharing of Church Buildings Act may become law this year.
I'll put it on the prayer list.
Item number two.
What's item number one? Backsliders.
There may be more people
joining us on our journey of faith,
but we've still got people falling off the bus.
We do have a duty to them, as well as the newcomers.
Who asked you?
Get him his pilchards, and then find a pen
and a piece of paper.
We're going to make a list,
and then we're going to knock on doors.
Nurse Aylward. Morning.
Were you vanquished afresh by the perils of public transport?
Three buses. It's a miracle
the East End doesn't grind to a halt.
Perhaps you might need to allow a little extra time
for your journey. Well, not when it would mean
leaving the night before.
Nurse Clifford will accompany you on your home visits
this morning. Again? How nice.
I took the liberty of packing your bag for you.
I hope I didn't mess it up.
Good morning.
I'm looking for Mr Lloyd Bristow.
Owed you money too, did he?
I'm Pastor Robinson from the Shining Tabernacle Church.
Er, Mr Bristow used to come to our services, but we haven't
seen him for a while. Huh. Well, neither have I.
And neither has his daughter.
I take it you are Mrs Bristow? Yes.
For my sins.
Or should that be his?
I'm sorry if your husband
hasn't behaved as he should, Mrs Bristow.
Sometimes even being a church member
can't stop someone from losing their way.
And perhaps he...
He found his way up the M1 no bother.
He's moved in with some floozy up in Nottingham.
And you know what?
She's flamin' welcome to him.
Would you accept help from our church?
It's too late.
Lloyd knew his Bible - chapter and verse.
Didn't mean he lived by it.
The offer of help remains.
In the meantime, I'll pray for you...
..and your children.
Prayers aren't going to feed the meter, or my kids.
It's really quite straightforward.
MacDonald M-A-C
should not be filed with McDonald M-C.
A basic command of the alphabet is a prerequisite
in every profession, Nurse Corrigan.
Er, Mrs Khan?
Yes, Edna Bristow is on our books.
She's due to have her second child very soon.
She won't accept any help from our church.
You'll make a note of her circumstances?
Of course. I'll make sure that the midwives
and Sister Veronica are aware.
Thank you. I wish I could do more for her.
You have done your best.
Sometimes our best must be enough.
It really does seem as though your symptoms
are the same as when I first saw you last December.
Abdominal pain, aching legs, struggling to sleep.
But your blood and urine tests were normal.
Has the insomnia improved at all?
Only a very little.
Meaning not at all?
I'm sorry. It must be hard.
I have to work, so it is not always...easy.
I imagine starting afresh in a new country is never easy.
I make the best of it.
I am going to prescribe you some pills to help you sleep.
And we'll keep trying to find
the cause of this muscle pain and weakness.
Thank you, Doctor. You're very kind.
It's my pleasure.
Poor woman.
Blood tests can tell us all kinds,
but what they can never show is how homesick someone is.
Oh, you think that's part of the problem?
Doesn't matter if you come from India or Cork,
first few months, you can feel as though you're dying.
I'm still not convinced she's told me everything.
Do you suppose you could make an excuse
and call in on her at home?
I think she'd be less guarded with a woman.
I'll have her singing like a canary in no time.
Would you like a glass of milk with that biscuit?
Yeah. Yeah.
And do you like Winnie-the-Pooh?
Well...
Sister Monica Joan is going to read a story,
and I hear she does a very funny Eeyore voice.
Come have a listen,
and I'll fetch you a drink from the kitchen.
Mrs Bristow. Thank you for your patience.
This is Nurse Highland, our wonderful pupil midwife,
who will be looking after you today.
I've no objection.
As long as she's going to be supervised.
If you'd like to come with me, Mrs Bristow.
Struggling to relax.
Keep wanting to hop off the couch and whisk my mop around.
This hall is one of my cleaning jobs.
The height at the top of the womb is telling me that too, Mrs Bristow.
You need to find a little time to put your feet up.
I'm sorry, Nurse - what I actually need to do
is pay my rent.
Let's have a listen to Baby's heart, shall we?
Must be very hard on your own.
Word travels fast.
It's ticking away like a little watch.
Just the way we like it.
Vertex presentation. Thank you.
Just write up the notes.
I hope you know you're entitled to a maternity grant,
and family allowance once Baby's arrived.
If things are still tight, you might even be
a case for national assistance.
Look, I'm not grumbling.
I've plenty to be thankful for, including a council flat.
Are you all ready for your home birth?
The place is spotless.
Mm, you're a professional!
I always think how spick and span this room is
when we arrive to set up.
Thanks.
Hold the squidger firmly at about 45 degrees.
Now, aim for the pot.
What are you reading?
We have to choose an animal poem
to learn off by heart for school to raise money for the RSPCA.
I think these are all about cats,
written by a possum.
They're so long! I'll never remember any of them.
Call it a draw, shall we?
And stick to the handicrafts next time.
Absolutely. Well played, all.
Come on, you. It's getting late.
I was passing this way
and thought you might be interested
in our coffee mornings for Asian ladies new to Poplar,
hosted by our surgery receptionist, Miss Higgins.
M-A-C, not M-C?
That's the one. I think she's a little...
..frightening, no?
Oh, her bark is worse than her bite.
I like that expression.
Oh, look at those. I love a good heel.
My cousin works at the shoe factory,
and my husband and I sell the surplus stock
at the market. I bet you do a roaring trade.
No-one can ever have too many shoes.
That's what I said when he wanted to sell hardware!
I attended university.
My husband went to college.
But business sense...
..you have to be born with.
You have to work hard, too.
I can see you're doing that. I try.
But I wish my health would help me.
Dr Turner will get to the bottom of it.
I did wonder if there was anything
you didn't feel comfortable telling him.
Something you'd rather talk to another woman about?
Do you know a lady doctor I can speak to?
They're a bit thin on the ground, sadly,
even in this country. But I am a nurse and I am female.
And I know what it's like to go bright red
even just thinking about my body
and all the things it does and can get up to.
It is not usual in our culture to discuss our...
..monthly period.
Are you having bother in that department?
The pain is so...very, very bad.
Every time, it is so bad.
And everything that ails me, it is worse.
The pain in my legs, the pain in my stomach,
the sleeplessness. Everything is worse.
God love you, Sahira.
Can you help me now?
Every piece of the jigsaw puzzle makes a difference.
Oh, there you are, sweetheart.
Yeah, you play nicely.
I'll be as quick as I can.
Mummy!
I know. Lucky I've got the right equipment to hand, eh?
You're gonna have to wait till I'm finished, little one.
Or I don't get paid.
Has Nurse Corrigan returned
from her house calls yet? Miss Marple at your service!
Did you find out anything new about Mrs Khan?
Yes. She's crippled with dysmenorrhoea,
doubled up with pain every month,
and says all her symptoms are worse when she's menstruating.
All of her blood tests have come back normal.
But at least this gives us something new to go on.
Miss Higgins, can we refer Mrs Khan to gynaecology at St Cuthbert's?
I would respond by saying, "Mr Kenley or Mr Parry?"
But I understand Mr Parry has a more sympathetic manner.
I shall telephone his secretary.
Thank you.
On the district, we have the privilege
of being with a mother from the beginning of her journey
to its end.
We go into her home, we meet her family.
We see her racked with pain and self-doubt,
and radiant.
It is a profoundly intimate experience.
Why do you think so many mothers
are now choosing hospital birth?
Because they are being told it's better.
Isn't it better, though?
I mean, all the statistics suggest it's safer.
In my view, we can offer the best of both worlds -
dedicated care in the home environment,
then speedy transfer to hospital
should complications arise.
Is there a definitive list of complications
where transfer is necessary?
There is a list, certainly,
but I would hesitate to call it definitive,
because even a skilled midwife can sometimes
be faced with something new.
I really don't like the sound of that.
Sorry to interrupt,
but I wondered if I might borrow Nurse Highland.
Mrs Bristow called,
and it sounds as though Baby's arrival is imminent.
Tracey's almost asleep.
Has she got her teddy?
Tucked in next to her.
Did she drink her milk?
She'll wake up crying if she didn't drink it.
I'll see to Tracey if she doesn't settle.
Nurse Highland is going to examine you
and just find out exactly where we're at.
Oh, my goodness.
The baby is almost crowning!
Why didn't you send for us sooner?
I was at work!
You've done so, so well
to get this far without any help, Edna.
But we're with you now, and you're safe at home.
We're going to take good care of you.
That's it, honey. Push if you want to.
Sometimes, I think it's a miracle any babies are born
when you consider everything that could go wrong.
Forewarned is forearmed.
Think of it like packing an umbrella.
If you've got one, you won't need it.
I shall remember that.
Er, Nurse Crane, may I ask permission
to hand out some leaflets in the next class?
What sort of leaflets?
They're from the Raise the Roof campaign.
The Imperial Hospital nurses are hosting a meeting
later this month. Oh, lass.
Please don't put me on the spot.
I'm still not sure quite where I stand
with regard to all of this.
As far as I'm concerned,
nursing is a calling,
not a career.
And any suggestion that we are financially motivated
will undermine our patients' trust in us.
It's coming too fast! I'm going to rip open.
Everything's under control, Edna.
I'm supporting Baby's head so it can't come too quickly.
Pant now. Pant like I showed you.
Perfect work, Edna.
Just keep listening to Nurse Highland.
And I've freed the chin.
You'll feel Baby turn in a moment.
Now.
Can you see his face?
It's a darling little face.
And now, one last big, brave push for me
as soon as you're ready.
You've a handsome baby boy, Edna.
Why isn't he crying?
He's just a bit of a lazybones.
Come on, Prince Charming.
Let's show a little appreciation for your mother.
She's been working her socks off.
Oh, well done, Edna.
And well done, Nurse Highland.
Oh, he...he looks like his father.
Is that good or bad?
Let's just say it's a useful reminder.
Nurse Corrigan, would you keep
a kindly eye on Nurse Clifford this week?
Make sure she doesn't overdo it in regards to this campaign.
She's going at things like a bull at a gate.
Oh...
Maybe she has to.
Maybe we all have to.
I know, I know. I'm in ferment of apology,
but my daily wrestle with public transport will soon be
a thing of the past.
Matthew is going to give me driving lessons.
Brave man.
More demolition works?
Linton Road and Gateshead Road?
But I declared those houses fit for human habitation
when I inspected them last year. They were decent!
Where are the tenants supposed to go?
They'll be eligible to apply for flats
in the new tower blocks.
The tower blocks that haven't been built yet?
It's not the council's fault that there's a queue.
Six pounds and eight ounces.
It's normal for Baby to lose a little weight
in the first few days.
I'm switching to the bottle anyway.
I need to get back to work.
We can give you some stilbestrol and Epsom salts
to help dry up your milk.
It does seem very early to be going back to work.
Have you thought any more about applying for financial relief?
I wouldn't want to take it away from those that really need it.
And have you thought of a name for the little prince?
We'd agreed to call him Alistair if it was a boy.
And how are you doing, Tracey?
Excited to have a new baby brother?
Oh, poor mite seems a little under the weather.
Shall I tuck her in bed for a nap?
Er, no, no, no. No, no.
She can sleep here.
Oh, you're up with the lark.
Not so much up as haven't been to bed yet.
I've just finished a shift at the homeless shelter.
I have enough time to change my suit
and have a cup of coffee before I go to work.
Burning the candle at both ends. Here.
On the house.
Oh, good morning, Dr Turner.
I just had a telephone call from Mr Ayub Khan.
His command of English is poor,
but between my Punjabi and his Sylheti,
I think I discerned his wife is complaining
of blurred vision and severe headache.
I don't like the sound of that at all.
23 Nightingale Terrace.
I'll reschedule your early appointment.
Oh, I'm never going to remember this!
You've still got a week.
Don't worry, I'll help you.
Now, come on, or we'll be late for school.
Cyril, you have a cat, don't you?
I think the cat would say it was the other way round.
What's its name?
Nigel.
What about his other names?
Colette is learning TS Eliot's poem
The Naming Of Cats for school.
Please will you sponsor me? Put me down for a shilling.
And a pilchard from Nigel.
Morning, Mrs Khan.
I'm sorry to hear you're still suffering.
The pain is so bad.
It is so bad I want to die.
What is he doing here? Get him away from me.
It's the doctor!
Please, help her.
Mrs Khan, I promise I only want to make you feel better.
But I have to examine you first
to try and find out what's wrong.
I'd like to shine a light into your eyes.
Is that all right?
That's all good.
I'd like to have another feel of your tummy, if I may.
And take another urine sample.
If I give you a container,
might you be able to use the toilet now?
Oh!
Please excuse the state of my attire.
The moped and heavy showers are not soulmates.
Someone has a nasty cough.
She wasn't this bad earlier.
What do you think is wrong with her?
Might well be a chest infection.
Where's your nearest telephone?
There's a public one on the ground floor.
You need to call an ambulance.
Explain that you have a young child that's struggling to breathe.
I know, sweetheart. Let's sit you up, if we can.
All right. Well done.
Oh, my goodness.
Ah!
Let me take that. Thank you.
Now, come and sit down.
Perhaps your husband could fetch you a glass of water.
Sahira! It's best just to leave her.
What's happening? She's having a seizure.
I need to transfer her to hospital.
Baby's asleep in the pram just outside.
It's wheezy bronchitis.
According to the consultant,
they started antibiotics as soon as she was on the ward.
She'll stay in the oxygen tent until further notice.
Did he say she'll get better?
He said we have to wait
and see how she responds over the next 24 hours.
Is wheezy bronchitis catching?
Could the baby get it?
I'm afraid it's caused by living conditions,
especially damp and mould.
You've seen the bedroom?
I have been scrubbing that wall
for months and months,
writing to the council, calling in.
I should have saved time and just wrung their bloody necks.
This is not your fault.
I need to be with Tracey,
but every time he cries, I...I start leaking.
What am I supposed to do now?
Where am I supposed to go?
I've spoken with Dr Turner, and if you're agreeable,
we can take Alistair to the maternity home
for a few days.
All things considered,
I think it's the best solution for all of you just now -
Alistair, Tracey and you.
There you are.
It's all right.
Dr Turner, have you seen Mrs Khan's urine sample?
It wasn't that colour when she gave it to me.
Must have been exposed to sunlight.
Er, possibly.
It was briefly left on the counter in the sluice room.
I think this could indicate liver problems.
I'm sorry.
All visitors have to leave now.
Right.
Now...
The first thing to remember
is that a car is a three-dimensional object.
Duly noted.
Thank you.
Good. Now, check the mirror.
Indicate.
Release the handbrake.
Gently press the accelerator
while slowly releasing the clutch.
Gently.
Sit here for a few moments.
We'll bring Master Alistair in to you.
Mrs Bristow arrived to visit her baby,
and I saw at once she has a fever.
Thank you, Miss Higgins.
I'll be with her directly.
Take him onto the ward?
He's halfway through his feed.
It wouldn't be advisable to interrupt him.
Mrs Turner has advised it.
I think you'll find she knows best
when it comes to balancing the needs of mother
and baby. But in hospital...
You're not in hospital now, Nurse Highland.
You've come to us to learn that there is a different way.
This is mastitis.
It looks so sore.
And it really does feel quite lumpy.
You'll need antibiotics, which Doctor can prescribe.
And you must rest.
I can't rest. I didn't get a wink of sleep last night
fretting about Tracey.
How is she doing? Critical.
But stable.
Can I see Alistair?
And as if by magic...
..your wish is my command.
He's just had one and a half ounces.
So if that's his main course,
you can give him his dessert.
Oh, Edna.
I am going to admit you.
You need to be with your baby.
And you need antibiotics, good food, rest and care.
Yeah, but what about Tracey?
She could be dying.
You can't expect me to choose between my children.
No-one's suggesting that.
In a perfect world,
we'd be looking after all of you at home.
Yeah, but it isn't a perfect world, is it?
It's a filthy, stinking, mould-ridden world
that makes my children sick...
..and me ashamed of the way I have to live.
Gently. Slower. Slow down.
Move out of the way of the pavement.
Mind the lady with the pram!
Brake, brake!
Oh!
Careful, careful.
I'd be better in your car.
No, you wouldn't.
What gear am I in? You're not in gear.
Get in gear!
Uhh! Calm down.
I am calm!
Where am I going?
There's only one direction!
The tests on your urine sample
have revealed you have a condition called porphyria.
It's a very rare inherited liver disease
which results in the build-up of toxic chemicals in the blood,
which cause damage to the nerves.
Is there a cure?
We can certainly relieve the pain,
and physiotherapy will address the weakness
in your legs. But no cure?
My wife... She will die?
A severe attack could be life-threatening,
but if you avoid the things that make it worse,
you should be able to lead a fairly normal life.
For example, certain medications
or hormonal changes brought on by pregnancy.
Avoid pregnancy?
I would advise against having any children
for the time being.
I'll speak with your GP.
Do you have an appointment?
No. I'm an extremely busy health professional
striving to serve and support a very deserving case.
Everyone who comes here is a very deserving case.
Or they think they are.
Perhaps you've met Mrs Edna Bristow,
a mother of two tiny children
who has reported mould to you time and time again.
And your advice was to paint over it!
That is usual. And is it usual for the mould
to keep coming back blacker and more widespread every time,
until a child ends up in hospital struggling to breathe?
That seems extreme.
It is the result of extreme mismanagement!
Very possibly by the tenant. Don't you dare
try and blame your tenant for this.
Do you have children, sir?
I fail to see how that is relevant.
You might, if you stopped to imagine your own family
being forced to live like this!
I will send someone round to inspect the premises,
but I'm entirely sure they'll come to the same conclusion.
Everybody has children.
To marry is to want children.
To marry is to say we will face the things we do not know.
I'm sorry.
I am sorry.
Sorry that I cannot give you a child
and be sure that I will live.
And I am sorry that this pains you.
We must tell our parents. They will advise us.
No. We will tell them nothing.
Why?
Because it is not their business.
And...
..because I'm ashamed.
Mind how you go.
Thank you. Sorry.
I explained that you were trying to avoid the cat.
And he is going to let you off.
But I have to make a donation to the Cats Protection League.
If you're going to try to run over a policeman,
it's always best to choose one with a sense of humour.
Ah, you can't possibly imagine
I'm going to let you drive again after that.
Three-dimensional object coming your way.
It's rumoured King George III suffered from porphyria,
so your Sylheti patient might be in very esteemed company.
Wasn't King George completely insane?
Some people believe he suffered from mental illness.
Well, he might have suffered intermittent derangement
as a result of his condition,
but the fact remains...
..it could be a royal malady.
I'm not sure she'll find that all that reassuring.
Any more news on Tracey?
She's starting to respond to her antibiotics.
Hospital's the best place for that poor child.
What's going to happen when she's discharged?
She could be permanently asthmatic.
Someone looks in need of a pick-me-up.
Thank you.
Matthew just gave me my first driving lesson.
And it didn't go well?
I was thwarted by a kamikaze cat,
and Matthew has just gone in search of a coat hanger.
I see.
Taking instruction from loved ones
can always be challenging.
To say the least!
Have you never been tempted to teach Violet how to drive?
I'd rather boil my own head.
I don't suppose you'd be willing to give me lessons?
You're extremely patient and calm in the face of danger.
I know, because I once saw you eat Violet's fete bake
before a judge had had a chance to try it.
Go on, then.
Don't tell Matthew.
He'd be terribly offended.
Mum's the word.
Mummy, I want to go home.
I know you do, love.
But...the doctors and nurses need to make you better first.
I always say there's nothing like your own bed
and your own toilet when you're poorly.
You'll soon pick up.
The pain is better, and my thoughts are clear.
I'm feeling very...fortunate.
I know you probably don't want to discuss this yet.
But when you're ready, I can help you with advice on
how to avoid unwanted pregnancy.
Unwanted pregnancy?
Sorry. I could have put that better.
Yes, you could.
I understand.
My whole life, I've been waiting to be a mother.
It's what we're told women do.
It's all we know.
This news changes everything I am.
You understand nothing.
Have a pleasant day, sir.
Charming.
Ah, you get used to impatient motorists,
working as a lollipop man.
I find that a sunny smile usually unnerves them.
I wondered if you'd ever consider offering driving lessons.
I've been teaching Trixie myself,
but, er, I'm extremely busy with work
and I don't really have the time to spare.
I'd remunerate you for your troubles, of course.
Though I'd appreciate if you offered
without mentioning we'd had a conversation about it.
I'd be delighted to teach her to drive,
and no re... required.
Thanks. Er...
You might reconsider the offer after the first lesson.
Oh, look, I told you last time, Pastor,
I don't give the Holy Spirit house room.
And I'm not calling in that capacity.
I've been sent by the housing officer to assess your flat.
There are several ways the water could be getting in.
If you don't object, I'd like to take some photographs.
For all the good it'll do.
When I complained, the housing officer made out it was my fault.
I can assure you my report will state otherwise.
Hello, Sister, come on in.
Greetings.
Sister Veronica sent us round with some forms
for Mrs Bristow. She just told me
you weren't impressed by the mould situation.
I am disgusted by the mould situation.
If you don't mind, ladies,
I need to look behind the bed.
Er...what is that?
Stachybotrys chartarum.
It's a highly toxic black fungus
you find in drywall construction.
It roots in the plaster and feeds on the moisture
before releasing spores.
That won't just be on the wall, it'll be on the mattress.
Hmm.
This has to go.
It'll make everyone in this flat ill.
All I ever did was clean.
The mould is not your fault, Mrs Bristow.
It is the fault of bad building and worse management.
As Rachel Carson said in her book Silent Spring,
if humankind poisons nature,
nature will, in turn, poison humankind.
And as my grandma used to say in Trinidad,
is it the pig who makes the sty, or the sty who makes the pig?
I can't see much out of the back window.
Yeah, it's probably more important to look out of the front.
Oh...
It's all right. Take your time.
Er... Whoa, that's...
I think technically you'd call that a stop.
But...early days.
Don't worry. Practice makes perfect.
Thank you, Fred.
In time with the bounce, Colette.
It'll help the words stick.
"Such as Peter, Augustus,
"Alonzo, or James,
"Such as Victor or Jonathan..."
Kissed the girls and made them cry.
George!
"Or Bill Bailey -
"All of them sensible everyday names."
Let's leave it there for tonight.
But you're doing so well.
And with all those sponsors,
I'm sure you're going to make lots of cats very happy.
National assistance forms.
I feel like a beggar. I feel like I'm asking for charity.
I've been to the flat above, the flat below,
and the flats on either side.
They're all bad, but none as bad as yours.
I keep thinking that...
..I don't want Tracey to come home.
I'd rather she stayed in hospital
where she isn't getting poison in her lungs.
What kind of mother does that make me?
A mother in an impossible situation.
I can't even afford a new mattress.
She's going to have to sleep on the settee cushions.
Not if you fill in these forms and accept this money.
Mrs Bristow, your children have the right to a decent home.
Their father let them down.
Society must not do that.
There was mould in Trinidad, just like there is here,
and we painted over it too.
Bright pink, ochre,
turquoise blue.
It came back again and again,
like the rust on the roof.
The mould in Ireland was always green.
You could call it patriotic, at a pinch!
It's why I love hospitals.
That beautiful smell of antiseptic.
The squeak of the spotless lino underneath your shoes.
Everything is so safe and so under control.
You really do want to be a matron, don't you?
Maybe.
But Edna Bristow's case has made me think.
Can you really nurse a person if you don't know who they are?
Can you do your best work
if you don't know where they come from
or what they'll go home to?
I called in at the nurses' hostel
to follow up on the leaflets I left there,
and there's going to be an enormous turnout
for the Imperial meeting.
Almost enough to fill a chartered coach!
You're going to charter a coach? No, we can't afford to.
But 23 of us are going to meet at the Poplar tube.
Make that 24.
25. Just...
..don't tell Nurse Crane.
You can't sleep on the sofa for ever.
Well, I can hardly put her back in the bedroom.
She's only just been discharged from hospital.
And she's on oral antibiotics?
Mm. For another week.
This is quite simply unacceptable.
Ta-da!
Third time lucky!
Yes, Trixie!
Trixie.
Matthew!
Sorry, I was just, um...
Me too.
You're fiddling with your ear.
That almost always means you're hiding something.
Right. Well, I'd best be off.
Um, Violet needs me to do something
down at the old, uh, shop.
I asked Fred to...
..give me driving lessons. ..give you driving lessons.
I shall
be raising this at the next Housing Committee meeting,
which happens to be tomorrow.
It's a very comprehensive report by Mr Robinson.
It's an absolutely dreadful story.
It's not a story.
It's happening here and now, and words are not enough.
Action is what's needed.
I've already spoken to the medical officer for health
in the borough.
Was that really necessary?
I mean, these flats are the best that Poplar has to offer.
Half the people coming to see me here
would give their right arm for one of these.
Yes. And possibly their lungs.
So I would imagine it would be rather humiliating
for the council if their shiny new buildings
were declared as unfit for human habitation,
as the Victorian slums they replaced.
I'll see what I can do.
You must take some sweets with you.
My mother keeps sending parcels,
and she forgets that we do not like them.
She has sent a tabiz, Sahira.
It's like a charm.
To help me conceive.
You must tell your mother.
I cannot tell my mother if you do not.
Why do we need to tell them at all?
So that we can become the talk of two villages?
No.
We live here now.
This is our new life, and we will succeed in it.
I will not be made to feel like a failure for a disease
that is not my fault -
by your parents, by mine,
or by you.
If you falter, you are a weak man.
And I do not want to be married to a weak man.
Because I am strong.
Tomorrow, will you come?
Sahira's not so sick now.
This will be my last visit for a while.
Hopefully, a long while.
The rest is up to you now.
Milk and two sugars, did you say? Yes, please.
You wouldn't believe the strings I had to pull
to get a builder in so quickly.
You clearly know people in all the right places.
Well, as do you.
Perhaps you should consider running for mayor.
When I couldn't get hold of the medical officer,
I tried the mayor and got very short shrift.
His tenure is coming to a close.
I thought you said
that you'd spoken with the medical officer.
Sometimes, for the sake of the greater good,
one has to be...slightly creative with the truth.
Hmm.
"When you notice a cat in profound meditation
"The reason, I tell you, is always the same
"His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation
"Of the thought, of the thought,
"of the thought of his name
"His ineffable effable
"Effanineffable
"Deep and inscrutable singular name."
Meow.
Well done, Colette.
We've certainly got the mastitis on the run.
And your family are back where they belong.
It's OK, love. You can go in there now.
Would you mind if we weighed Alistair before we go?
Yeah, I'm afraid I would.
I've decided to call him Nicholas instead.
Alistair was the name my husband chose for him,
and I never really liked it.
Or my husband, if I'm honest.
You be as honest as you like, honey.
Is there a reason why you chose Nicholas?
It means "victory of the people".
When we had to go into battle...
..my children helped us to win.
I'll start a new folder with his new name.
There's nothing nicer than a fresh start.
What do you think, Mrs Wallace?
Social worker?
I need to get out of the Housing Department.
I want to build better lives for people,
not be complicit in trapping them in squalor.
This says "training provided".
What is going to happen to the church while you're doing that?
Mostly, I'll be learning on the job.
Any study will be part-time,
and all of this is dependent on my being accepted.
You will be accepted,
because all this is all God's doing.
Just like our new church building is God's doing.
Our new church building?
I went to St Oswald's and spoke to the vicar,
and they are going to allow us to use their church twice a month.
That sounds like Mrs Wallace's doing to me.
This is good news for all of us.
Except that cat. Nigel's not invited?
Uh-uh. No.
Oh.
I am starving.
What's for dinner? Oh, I'm sorry, Fred.
I've had things on my mind.
I'm thinking...about running for mayor.
Mayor?
There's a stretch of the imagination.
Why is it a stretch of the imagination?
Still, you're a dab hand at cutting ribbons.
Fred!
There is so much more to it than that.
It's about a bigger chance to stand up for people
that can't stand up for themselves.
It's about leading other councillors
so that they can do the right thing.
And if you don't believe that I can do that,
then you don't believe in the power and the passion
of ordinary people.
Violet...
..you're not an ordinary person.
You are...magnificent.
Will you support me, Fred?
Even if I end up lady mayoress.
Thank you, Fred.
Now, help me with these,
because they won't unwrap themselves.
Sahira! Look at you back up on your hind legs.
My husband said he needed my assistance at the stall.
He said he's good with the mathematics,
but with people not so much.
If we support each other, we will succeed.
That's the best thing I could possibly hear you say.
I hope you will come to us for shoes.
We will offer you a discount.
That's the second-best thing.
My wife is a good woman.
And... How you say in English...?
My bark is worse than my bite.
Sometimes life expands
and embraces us in unexpected ways.
We can be more. We can know more.
We are shown more.
Togetherness is the key to all of this.
It opens doors, makes progress possible.
Together, we can forge a brighter future.
Together, we can find out our essential worth.
Is it a one-horse race?
No, Councillor Regan, it is not.
I am also running.
He is the worst kind of slum landlord.
Her hip sockets haven't formed around her thighbone.
But she looks completely normal.
You look a bit off colour, Fred.
We're going to pull together
to get your mum through this mayor malarkey.
She wants to win.