07/12/2015 The One Show

Welcome to the newly Christmased up one show with Alex Jones and Matt

Baker and with us is the beautiful Sheila Hancock. Hello!

What do we make of this? Even a snow machine outside. It's fantastic. Are

nay outside the building doing that? Yes, yes. Gosh. They are just

turning a handle! Amazing. They must be freezing out there as well. Dodgy

animals there Dodgy? ! What do you mean? ! That looks as though it

might bite you. Eagle-eyed viewers will notice that the animals might

move. What do you mean? Well, they might. It's a weird game Matt likes

to play. What about you at home? Have you got anything surprising

that you are using as Christmas decorations this year, or maybe you

have gone completely over the top? Send us a picture and we'll show

them later. Can you jutt do a badger in a woolly hat, that's what we want

to know? The people of the north-west once again have had to

cope with the worst of the weather after storm Desmond lashed the UK

this weekend. Flood-hit families have been forced out of their homes

and thousands still remain without power. Thankfully the water is

starting to go down. Andy Kershaw's seen for himself the chaos and

community spirit Desmond's left in its wake.

It was a storm with the deceptively friendly name of Desmond, but it

dumped more than a foot of rain in 24 hours last weekend in Cumbria and

the county's flood defences were overwhelmed. Chris and Rob share a

house together near Penrith. They are eager to show me what's

happened. I hope it's not too bad for you.

As you can see on the fire place, it came up there. It's left a thin

covering of mud where my boots are. Why is the fridge freezer on its

back. The water lifted it off the ground. It was floating? Yes, it

reminds you of the power of water. Why did you buy a house in an area

at risk of flooding? It was valued at a reasonable price, lower than

the market estimate. Because of where it is? Yes, and I thought,

I'll take a chance because I love the place. It's lovely. It's quaint,

like. Earlier this morning, I was at the

Gravestone community centre in Carlisle, which has become a refuge

for those out of their homes. 23 people slept here last night and

more are on their way. Let's go and have a look. The local community

does what they are able to and have responded to the flooding in

Carlisle and the needs to those who were evacuated spectacularly. Come

and have a look at this. That's only part of it. That's what

120 litres of soup looks like. Although, this is more than a soup

kitchen in the Greystone community centre. Gareth Webber runs it. What

kind of services are you providing to evacuees? Since Friday night we

have provided hot food, drinks, bedding for people to stay, lunch

time's coming up, I've got a pizza guy coming in to deliver pizzas and

make them for everybody, we have different businesses dropping in

stuff all day long. And people coming in today? We have just had a

family of flee come in, they were evacuated this morning and the

police have been on to say two more are coming in the next hour.

Were managed to get out ourselves this morning. We'd stayed in

overnight hoping it would be all right and wouldn't carry on rising.

What made you decide to get out today and not yesterday or the day

before? We've got a dog and two cats and we just wanted to stay. What

have you done with the dogs and cats? They are sleeping on the bed

upstairs, so they are happy. What are your biggest worries about going

home eventually? I need to get back within the next three weeks because

I've still got some Christmas presents to wrap. That's the least

of your worries. I know. It's 10. 30 in if morning and although the water

level is receding, you can see people are still being rescued. One

of the main problems at this stage is perversely because of the river

defences built in 20005. They are now holding the floodwater into town

and the emergency services are having to pump it back into the

rivers. People are sticking in with the

community spirit. I hope that lady gets back soon to wrap the Christmas

presents. This is Mike the donkey and he was rescued and brought on to

dry land and he's now available for nativity scenes!

We are all right! Having got donkeys on our farm, that's the happiest

donkeys I've ever seen! Are they not usually happy then? Not usually.

They make an awful noise. They do. We are going to talk about your new

musical. We have racoons and cats but no donkeys. You have got to tell

us your incredible story, the story of Jackie Kennedy's family living

outside of New York? It's the American aristocracy and they

discovered these two old ladies, one very old, obviously my part, and one

middle aged and they were living in total squaller, absolutely

appalling, this beautiful big house was falling apart. There were rats

and fleas and smells and everything. It turned out that she was Jackie

Kennedy's or Onassis or whatever she calls herself, aunt. They had been

part of the an stock radiocy and the musical is about where they get to

-- aristocracy. It goes back into their lives and sees what happens to

the two women who didn't fit into the society that expected them to be

like all the Kennedy wives and things behaving beautifully and

impeccably and they were a bit wild always. That's how they end up. I

think the second act is tragic, it's wonderful because they are being

themselves and they don't give a - about what is going on - I just

remembered a thing I signed to say I would not swear because I'm on the

BBC. You follow the lives of the women?

And you got hold of the documentary in quite a bizarre way, I suppose? I

was appearing in a musical called Cabaret in the West End and a lot of

people love musicals and go all over the world to see them. There was a

group of guys who'd seen Grey Gardens in New York because it was

there at the same time and they said it was wonderful, they were at the

stage door and gave me a copy of the documentary. I saw it then and I had

a tape of the music and the music was wonderful. What tone does it

take then with the music because usually they are uplifting,

musicals? They are comedic. My numbers are quite funny, I think!

Jenna has some absolutely beautiful ballad-type music. The music is

constantly telling the plot. I'm really enthusiastic about this show,

as you can tell. I've hardly started rehearsing which is a bit scary. I'm

trying to learn the lines, which is terribly difficult. And this is

Jenna. So that is Jenna who plays your daughter recording one of the

songs there? She's wonderful. She has about 17 numbers in the show and

she plays me young and in the second half she plays the daughter. So

she's playing a double role really. This opens on 2nd January doesn't

it. You say you've hardly started rehearsing yet. You're not going to

have a restful Christmas are you? No, I know. I shall spend the whole

of Christmas with my nose in the book trying to remember the lines.

Just have a sherry with it, you'll be all right! I might do that!

I don't know about sherry, but... You always say you take on roles

where you like an element of a character, so which elements then

does Edith have that you have taken to and liked? Well, the element of

the show that I like is how women are used by important men, these

women were used by these men. It's a cry for individuality, for

eccentricity, for people that, a lot of people would think they are mad,

but actually they are doing their own thing and enjoying it. I have a

line when I say being alone you have to be an individual and that's what

they are, they are individual. Rather like Quentin Crisp, do you

remember him, he was an eccentric guy and he lived in squalid

conditions, but there are not many genuine eccentrics. A lot of people

pretend to be so, but there are not many who 're genuinely are and these

women are. They were talented, creative women and people tried to

make them conform and they didn't. But they end up in this appalling

squalor, but that's what they choose.

If you would like to see the results of Sheila's line-learning over

Christmas, you can do, the Great Gardens opens at Southwark Playhouse

on 2nd January. Does it? ! Yes, it does!

Now also, do you know what, we are just about to meet a no-nonsense nun

and you played one in Sister Act didn't you, was that liberating? It

was a lovely show to be in. I went to a convent when I was young so I

had some sympathy with it but I'm now a Quaker which is the absolute

opposite. Self-styled atill la the Nun is not afraid to take her

community's concerns right to the door of Number Ten -- Atilla the

Nun. If I find chewing gum on the carpet, I'll be sorry for the one

that put it there. Sister Rita has a reputation for straight talking. If

you smoke out this, well you'll be dead if I catch you.

She fights a running battle with the benefits system, from her

headquarters at the centre which hands out food and benefits advice

at Collyhurst in Manchester. A lot of people come into the Lalley

Centre because they are depressed. Then They are told they are not

depressed they can get a job. I'm furious. I wrote to David Cameron to

say, this is how it is for people who're desperate. To raise some

awareness. To try and raise some awareness of what people have to put

up with in this day and age, in this affluent society. There is no

affluence in Collyhurst. The Government must and should be doing

more. In the meantime, it falls to the centre staff to do what they can

for people like single mum Louise. Unemployed and being treated for

depression, her benefits were stopped or sanctioned when she

missed a DWP work capability assessment. At the follow-up, Louise

was shocked to be pronounced fit for work. I suffer with mental health

issues. I clearly explained how a general day is for me and all the

stress... Sorry. It's OK, don't worry. How many children have you

got? I've just got one currently living with me which is my youngest.

She's the reason I get up in the morning. Based on what she's told me

today, I couldn't imagine her in a work place tomorrow because she's

got issues. With support from the centre, Louise is taking her case to

tribunal. When I see and hear who they are struggling with, with

benefits and unemployment, that makes me fume. Sister Rita e-mailed

David Cameron telling him to consider such cases when taking big

decisions on benefits. To her astonishment, she's had a reply. It

seems the Prime Minister forwarded her e-mail to the Secretary of State

for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith. He now wants to meet her.

I was very, very, very surprised when I got to e-mail to say he'd see

it. Were going to go to London tomorrow to see the minister and

you'd better be thinking of us, all of you, OK. I'm hoping she'll get

Iain Duncan Smith to realise that we are struggling, the real people out

there are struggling. We ain't got any support. The Secretary of State

for Work and Pensions has no idea what's coming down the track.

She'll tell him straight. They don't call me the formidable sister Rita

for nothing. They call me Atilla the Nun, they don't call me that for

nothing. And she won't be happy if she thinks the minister is not

listening. Back in Manchester, on another battle front, Louise is

facing her tribunal. She emerges triumphant.

Amazing. Thank you. Every penny Louise should have received in

benefits since they were stopped in January will be paid in full. But

much of it will go to paying off the back street loans which have kept

her afloat through the year. Sister Reeta is feeling victorious too. It

was better than I ever imagined it could be. I didn't imagine that he

would be so receptive. The minister's promised a DWP adviser

will drop into the Lalley Centre once a week to sort out the problems

that Louise had to take to tribunal. It's a promise sister Rita will hold

him to. Politicians make a lot of promises,

but they haven't met Sister Rita before, have they? It seems Sister

Rita's visit has inspired the minister. If it works and other food

banks think it worthy, we would like to roll this out across the UK.

That's a decision for further down the line, in the meantime one nun's

victory means food banks are already being helped by DWP advisers. If

someone asks me how successful was the trip to London, I would say 100%

successful. And Sister Rita To The Rescue continues tomorrow morning

and the rest of the week on BBC One at quarter past nine. There is one

for the iPlayer if you miss it. She is a force to be reckoned with. Joe

is here now. We saw the victory for Sister Rita, how soon do you think

we might see these advisers rolled out in other food banks across the

country? We saw the advisers, and if the trial works the next April we

might see official advisers at other food banks around the country, and

that is significant because of all the people that have to go to food

banks, about 40% of those cases relate to people's benefits. Either

they have been sanctioned or their benefits have been changed. If you

have an adviser on the spot to help them out, it is thought to 30 of

those cases can be sorted out really quickly. But we mustn't forget the

bigger picture here, why are so many people going to food banks? In the

decade up to 2013, Britain had the highest general inflation in terms

of price rises for food and fuel and housing, so people really squeezed

on low incomes and forced into accepting these hand-outs. It must

be difficult to put a handle on the number of parcels handed out but you

have statistics, don't you? Yes, there are many independent food

banks around the country. There's a lot in Hammersmith where I am. If we

look at the Castle trust, they run about 420 or just over that in terms

of the number of food banks. In 2011 they handed out 129,000 food

parcels, food parcel will keep one person going for three days. Go

forward to the last financial year, they handed out over a million food

parcels, they had gone over by times. Not only have we stayed at

that exceptionally high level, but the need has risen even more so it

is a record high at the moment. People say, oh, just anybody is

going along, but that's not the case, it is very much vetted. Yes,

the referral process. Yes, with the Trussell Trust dummy you have got to

be referred by a health worker or a social worker. The other thing is

that people say these hand-outs that people just accept, that really

isn't the case, most people only go once. People are struggling so

much, there is no margin for error so they go wants to get them over

that crisis over three days, and the average is under two referrals per

person over a six-month period. And we can help by popping in some food

to most supermarkets and they will go directly to them. That's right.

This is the toughest time of year, more food parcels were handed out

last year in December than any other month.

There's a new musical sensation on the block and we can reveal tonight

that some of our One Show family members have come together to form

our very own barbershop quartet. But seriously, who on earth would be

daft enough to do that? As the One Show Street Barber, you

would think there would be one form of entertainment that whets my

whistle. Barbershop quartets. But you would be wrong. I just don't get

barbershop quartets. So, when the One Show set me a challenge to lead

my own team to take part in the UK barbershop Championships in Wales,

you can imagine my reaction. But in the interests of light

entertainment, this is my mission. So, I need to get over my own

ignorance and prejudice towards barbershop singing. Doctor Liz

Garnet is an authority on this artform. It started in the late 19th

century in the American South and it flourished in males' social spaces

like the barbershop, that's where it gets its name from, but it became

mainstream with the early recording industry because of you think about

early technology, a small group with a bright sound, perfect. Everyone

thinks of barbershop as American but it impacted on this country too in

the 1970s, heavily laced with schmaltz. Today there are around

6000 barbershop quartet regularly singing and today I'm going to be

one of them. I'm going to compete in Llandudno in Wales, how nervous

should I be? It is quite a big stage and very much the emotional

highlight of the year the people involved in barbershop. How much

training do you think I will need? I have about two weeks to be honest.

It's better than nothing! She cannot even answer!

These are previous winners of the National Championships. I have been

speaking to one of the founders of the quartet. What makes a really

good quartet? It is the way the voices blend and the expanded sound

that comes out of it. The tenor is the highest part, which floats above

the tune, which is called the lead in barbershop. That's the second

highest part, then you have the baritone that fills in the notes in

between. Then the base, which provide the basis of all the

harmony. OK, if I'm ever going to make it to Llandudno, I need to

recruit another three singers, drawn from the ranks of the One Show

presenters. How would you like a weekend in Wales? I know, it will be

brilliant. Come on! Hello? Here is the line-up. Richard, the maestro,

Joe Crowley, the choirboy, and Alex, the rookie, and I'm going to sing

lead. I think I'm going to need some help. There's only one thing left to

say. # To be continued... #.

Good effort. We do that every night. Part two is on tomorrow and the

group gets suited and booted. It is time now for our Advent calendar and

to find out why The Corrs and Charlie Martin are expecting a

special Christmas, go to our website to find out. Behind door number 7 is

Kath Sylvester and this lovely picture has been sent in by her

daughter, Annie Dee Hughes, because Kath will be celebrating her 90th

birthday on December 20. The same day as Matt! A good day to

be born. If you have a reason why this particular Christmas will be

special, e-mail must trust at the usual address. The big Christmas

dilemma - how much do you spend on your partner? Spend a little and

they will think you are mean, spend too much and they will be

embarrassed when they give you a pair of socks. We have been to see

how much Christmas cash couples are going to be spending on each other

this year. The Christmas retail season is well

under way. Research shows Christmas spending is a cause of strife for

many couples, but are we putting ourselves under too much pressure?

I've already bought his present. Have you bought her a present? No.

Have you got something in mind? No. Who is more generous? I'm going to

say me, aren't I? I'm going to say me. Do you think Christmas has

become too competitive? Yes, maybe people think the more I spend the

more I love him, unfortunately. I think he thinks I spend more on him.

You just spend more in general! Write down how much you think you

are spending on each other. Crikey, you're a bit tight. Do you know what

I conclude from that? I am tight. Perfect! Look at that. Brilliant,

exactly the same. When we had our boys, we couldn't afford presents

for each other. When I go shopping, it is what I can spend money on for

both of us, so I can enjoy the present too. It is more about the

thought. It used to be about 250, 500. Now it all goes on this one! A

massive difference, he's not happy about that! We go out and have a

drink together and spend time together rather than lots of money.

That's going to be a superb Christmas for you! ?4000? Lovely!

More or less. Thank you for all of the photos you have been sending in.

We asked you if you could outdo our decorations and you haven't

disappointed. Sheila, start us with this one. This is Linda's rubber

glove Christmas tree. A little bit spooky, isn't it? I asked you if you

could outdo a badger in a furry hat, and you have done quite well.

This is a picture of Ingleby, a fox that gets dressed up every

Christmas. It's not a real fox, is it? Michele

run out of floor space, so this is a new one for me. And this is their

favourite ball -- bauble in Sarah's lounge.

Thank you to Sheila, Grey Gardens Christmas Day may be the highlight

of the holidays... Oh, yes. ..but all that pressure

in the kitchen...