In this week’s episode, Pam takes us deeper into her incredible journey from the knicker factory to the hospital wards. She shares what nursing training looked like in the 70s — walking miles with heavy baskets of books, earning just £24 a month, and learning everything hands‑on, bed by bed.

We talk about the old‑school wards, the realities of women’s health back then, the lack of screening, and the courage it took for patients to seek help. There are laughs too what is the steriliser??, the legendary “donkin” , and the sister who collected everyone’s sugar.

This episode is a heartfelt conversation between Lisa and her mam, tracing her journey from leaving school at 15 with no qualifications to beginning her path in nursing.

1. Growing up without academic confidence and leaving school early because of the system at the time.
2. Starting work at kayser bondor, the local knicker factory, where she learned about people, resilience, humour, and herself.
3. The vivid, funny stories of factory life — from learning to smoke for extra breaks to jamming knickers in machines
4. Realising she wanted more, and bravely applying to nursing despite dyslexia she didn’t yet know she had.
5. Becoming a pre‑nursing “daffodil”, working 9–5 on the wards, learning hands‑on skills, and discovering she was a practical learner.
6. Entering SEN training at 18, supported by mentors who recognised her strengths.
7. Rotating through wards across Merthyr General and St. Tydfil’s, building the foundation for the nurse she would become.

The episode is warm, funny, nostalgic, and deeply human — a mother sharing her story, and a daughter discovering the roots of her own positivity.

In this heartfelt follow‑up episode of The Power of Positivity Podcast, Lisa welcomes Joy back to continue their conversation—this time diving deeper into womanhood, emotional load, boundaries, and the realities of modern life. They begin by celebrating Joy’s beautifully illustrated children’s book The Day I Met Someone New, exploring why the story centres Chloe’s perspective and avoids defining the “new person” with a face—making the book universally relatable for any child navigating change.

From there, the conversation opens into an honest, funny, and deeply relatable discussion about the pressures women carry: the invisible mental load, cultural expectations, comparison culture, and the juggling act of careers, creativity, parenting, friendships, and self‑care. They reflect on burnout, perfectionism, and the myth that women must “do it all,” sharing personal stories about stress, boundaries, communication, and learning to let go of what can’t be controlled.

The episode ends with Joy’s advice to her younger self—have fun, be kind, see the world, and set healthy boundaries—and a shared reminder that women thrive when they support, uplift, and celebrate one another.