The UK’s first woman vascular surgeon, South African choreographer Dada Masilo, Benefits of older siblings

Averil Mansfield was the UK&rsquo;s first woman vascular surgeon and first female professor of surgery. She qualified as a surgeon in the early 1970s, at a time when only two per cent of her colleagues were female &ndash; and was often met with disbelief bordering on amusement when telling people what she did. She talks to Woman&rsquo;s Hour about her medical achievements, which she downplays to, &lsquo;It&rsquo;s just glorified plumbing,&rsquo; as detailed in her memoir &lsquo;Life in Her Hands.&rsquo;<br /> <br /> Dada Masilo is a South African choreographer, who is known for her re-working of classic stories to reflect black female identity. Her latest show is called Sacrifice, inspired by Stravinksy&rsquo;s iconic ballet Rite of Spring. The story is about the return of spring and the renewal of the Earth through the sacrifice of a young woman, or maiden, who is chosen by the community to dance herself to death. Dada herself plays the role of the maiden in this new production which is on a national tour of the UK, and will be performed at the Sadler&rsquo;s Wells in London this weekend. <br /> <br /> Plus the new study from the Cambridge Centre for Family Research which shows that having an older sibling helped keep children well-adjusted during lockdown. Prof Claire Hughes joins Nuala to discuss how older siblings can provide protection from stress.<br /> <br /> Presenter Hayley Hassall <br /> Producer Beverley Purcell